《THE GIRL WHO COULD TASTE TIME》


 00:01 - When are you from?

    <blockquote>


    ''What then is time? If no one asks me, I know: if I wish to explain it to one that asketh, I know not.'' - St. Augustine of Hippo and we do not steal this novel and post on Amazon pretending to be the author. The girl who could taste time is posted on royalroad.com author Lara Zanatti Reis


    </blockquote>


    ''IT Service Desk, good morning! Nona Perenna speaking, how may I help you?''


    ''I wonder if you could. The time displayed on my screen is wrong, I tried several times to fix it, but it doesn''t change.''


    ''What OS do you use? Seven or ten?''


    ''Ten.''


    ''And you went through start, settings, time and language and then went to date and time? To change it, right?''


    ''Of course I did! I''m not a tech retard. I know how a bloody computer works! This is showing me 2021, 11th September, 9:50 am. And got stuck here! Listen, I have meetings to attempt today. With the client! I can''t fuck up my schedule because my computer thinks it is 2001!''


    Nona sipped on her coffee, trying to remain calm while feeling the soft rubbing of Schr?dinger''s fur against her legs. Meowing for her attention. The user was giving her a frustrating report on what he had already done to repair his paranormal issue on his device. His words. It was impossible for Nona to interrupt this user without sounding rude. The last thing she needed right now was another complaint about her strange call behaviour, but let''s be honest, it was not really her fault. ''Sir, I can remote on your PC and check it myself, see if I can help, if you allow me.''


    ''Yes, of course, that is why I¡­.''


    An abrupt silence fell into the air. Her small home office was covered in muted sound as dust lay over the furniture surface. Not even the hammering sound of her keyboard could be heard. The cringing cold goosebumps on her skin were followed by the exhale of black particles between her dry lips. And finally, the sticky tastes of an overcooked steak covered in dusty sand. 17th December 2020, 8.11 am, Nona is about to witness a time event spill. In a fraction of a second, a breach of time would happen.


    ''Babe, my plane is being hijacked.'' Nona could hear behind the woman''s voice the rustling wind of a heavy machine. Deep voices were screaming incomprehensible words, and others were pleading for mercy. ''My plane is being hijacked. Babe, they are forcing their way into the cockpit. They forced their way into the cockpit. Babe, I called to tell you I love you. Tell the kids that I love them.''; the woman''s voice broke on the phone, crying her words in despair. The belonged to the flight attendant CeeCee Lyles, calling for the last time her husband, Lorne. CeeCee died on 11th September 2021. Those were her last words: ''Oh Lord, it feels like the plane is going down.'' Nona heard her final lengthy scream, and then the phone went dead.


    ''What did you do?''; asked the user.


    ''I''m sorry.''; replied Nona, startled. Her heart was still racing, and she could feel sweat dripping off her forehead.


    ''What did you do?''


    ¡®I..; I¡­;¡¯


    ''Well, young lady, I don''t know what hocus-pocus you did, but it is definitely fixed!''


    ''It is?''


    ''Yes, my PC finally accepted that today is Thursday.'' Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ''Glad I could help.''; at least she could help people with ridiculous tech issues because all the rest, she was just a witness like anyone else. There was nothing she could do. Nona was the girl who could taste time. All she could do was sit back and watch.


    She couldn''t remember when it started, but the play was always the same. An abrupt silence from nowhere, an unpleasant goosebump, a sticky, dusty taste and black particles leaving her mouth and then anything could happen.


    She could hear a conversation echoing in her apartment. Seeing someone being killed from a hundred years ago. Receiving mail that didn''t belong to her or her address, smelling a storm on sea or fired up gasoline. Everything happened in front of her, most of the time overlapping her own reality. Today she was lucky.


    If she told anyone about her unique talent, most people would be ecstatic, suggesting she could be a superhero! A new Cassandra foretelling what is to come. Because most people think of reality as a line. But it is not. Time is more like a flushing toilet.


    Let''s use Nona''s cat as an example. If we put Schrodinger in a box, we would face three realities, well, more, but let''s keep it simple. The black cat is in the box and might be dead or alive. Same reality, but now with a twitch. Because in one reality, the cat in the box might be dead, but in the other might be alive. Or we never open the box, and the cat is alive and dead.


    Now make the calculations. In a timeline, the cat is safe. On the second one, the cat is no longer with us. And last, the cat is alive or dead. That made three separate timelines.


    So there is no knowing for Nona if the information she received is from her reality or another universe. The call she received, CeeCee, was still alive, and in that reality, it was 2021, 11th September, 9:50 am.


    Schrodinger jumped on Nona''s lap: ''Are you okay, love of my life?''


    ''Yeah, that was a hard one.''


    ''Someone else dying?''


    ''Yeah, another one.''


    Nona noticed that it was more frequent for her to witness time fractions of great emotional discharge such as violence, pain, loss, and death. She can''t remember seeing a happy memory, but maybe it was her fault. Misery and sadness are inseparable friends.


    Work finished late. It was always the same, the closer to the holidays, the crazier people went with their computers. She was tired and forgot to take her meds this morning. 900 mg of lithium, 300 mg of Quetiapine, 400mg of lamotrigine and clonazepam if she felt she was about to crack. Covid-18 has put the world on lockdown, and she never felt safer. It was a horrible thought, but due to the World Health Organization, Nona could work from home. No longer would people watch her react to an empty scenario that only she could see. The last time that happened, she was almost misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, as if being bipolar was not good enough.


    She turned the shower on and looked at her tired reflection, her pale triangular face with torn eyes underlined by black circles. She hadn''t brushed her grey hair for days and couldn''t remember when the last time was she showered. Isn''t it funny that someone who lives in constant time lapses loses track of time?


    She took a shower and washed her hair and teeth. Put on a new pyjama and fluffy warm socks. And ready to call it a day. As she lay down, she saw Schr?dinger walking through the bedroom door, but she couldn''t hear his tiny paws touching the wooden floor. She then felt the cringing cold goosebump and dark particles spread in the air as she exhaled. A fraction of a second to be ready, and there it was.


    A heavy, sweaty man with madness stamped in his eyes, clutching his hand around her neck. Nona felt her body wanting to shut down on fight its flight mode. She could feel his boiling beer breath over her face and all his strength, eager to break her bones. She could breathe. She was fine. It was not her that he was killing.


    She glimpsed at his wrist, 10:10 PM, but no date and a kitchen knife dropping on edge right through her chest. Once, twice and again. She saw the round chubby, badly shaved face screaming and drolling rage with no sound. By the shape of his lips, he was probably screaming die, die, whore. Nona was unsure, she didn''t practice reading lips much, but it would be what someone would say in this type of situation. Wouldn''t it?


    She tried to react as stoically and coldly as possible, pretending she wasn''t there and a man three times her size was not sitting on top of her killing some poor random woman or man. She wasn''t there. This is not her story.


    This can''t be just what life has reserved for her. She lost count of how long the man stayed on top of her killing her. She didn''t notice that her bed was covered in someone else''s dead blood. She didn''t notice. She let herself cry and screech to sleep.


    ''This is no way of living. This is no way of living! I can''t do this anymore. I can''t!''


    On the floor, mixed with sweat and blood, a white and blue striped shirt with the stamp of Qatar 2022 that time forgot to erase.

 00:02 - When are you from?

    Is there anyone in this, or other, universe who likes to wake up in the morning? She felt as if she had been hit by a bus. Nona''s body was still sore from last night''s time event. But no trace remained in her room. There were no stab damages on the mattress or even a drop of bloodstains. Nothing. Everything was intact. The only thing she had lost was a sock. But Nona was used to waking up with one foot bare and the other with the sock half hanging off it.


    ''Good morning, love of my live.''; Schr?dinger was always in a good mood first thing in the morning. As soon as he saw her.


    ''Hey you, did you sleep well?''; she greeted, bending her torso down to pet his fluffy head.


    ''Like a kitty!''


    ''I wonder why?''; she conveyed ironically, and as she was about to stand up, Nona noticed something on the floor. A mixed with sweat and blood, a white and blue striped shirt with the stamp of Qatar 2022 that time forgot to erase. ''What is that?''


    ''Don''t touch it!''


    ''This never happened before.''


    ''Don''t touch it!''


    The more the black cat insisted, the closer she was to the piece of bloodied cloth. She picked it up off the floor and shook it. Nothing happened. It was still swinging in her hand as a real object. An actual shirt stained with the victim''s blood. ''This is form 2022.''; she said, reading the shirt''s logo.


    ''Nona, drop it! Or better burn it! Get rid of it!''; Schr?dinger was circling Nona between her legs nervously. But the young woman barely paid him any attention.


    ''Schr?dinger, do you know what this means?''


    ''It means it needs to be destroyed! Washed away in the depth of the ocean! Buried thousands of kilometres down until it rots!''


    ''It means I can do something. I can help save someone!''


    ''No, no, no, you can''t. That person is already dead!''


    ''In that universe they are. They died in my yesterday. But in my time, 2020, they are still alive.''


    ''And how will you know who they are? It is blood and a shirt, and there is no way you can identify the victim.''


    ''I can!''; she said, delighted.


    Schr?dinger didn''t dare to say another word. Nona was smiling. She never does, and the black cat didn''t have the heart to smear that smile. ''How?''; he simply asked.


    ''I am gonna buy a DNA kit.''


    ''What?''


    ''I''ll order a DNA kit, and they check the legacy of the DNA and tell me where the person is from and to who they are related. And TA-DA!''; Nona spoke very fast, utterly excited that even for a cat, Schr?dinger had some difficulty following.


    And she continued: ''Then social media come in hand, click here and there, and I can finally save a life!''


    ''You thought about it these last minutes?''; Schr?dinger was always stunned by her moments of mental geniality. Something he didn''t often recognise in humans. He still couldn''t figure out how her little head would work since the other day, for example, she tried to solve a little multiplication. She gave up after almost an hour and used the calculator, by the way, 3x3x3=27.


    She rushed to her PC and typed the URL address of one of the online labs that would perform anonymous checks. ''Monday, I should get the package.''; she said.


    ''What if until then it gets contaminated?''


    ''Then I guess it is 15 euros I just wasted. But isn''t it important to at least try? I need to try.''; her smile was gone.


    She looked at the screen as lost in the emptiness of space, contemplating all the reasons why this would happen to her. Why was she the way she was? Contaminated. Broken. A freak.


    Then she stood up and picked a translucid bag. Placed the stained shirt inside and put it inside the freezer. Now was just a matter of waiting.


    ''Shouldn''t you be working already?''; asked the black cat.


    ''Shit!''


    Friday night is game night. This is when Nona gives in to fast food delivery at her door and spends the rest of the evening with her guild. A group of misfits of all ages and locations gathered to crawl dungeon after dungeon in search of that specific item that shall change it all. If you are thinking purple legendary weapons or gear, you couldn¡¯t be more wrong. Nona¡¯s guild had been fighting for over a month over a pony, the Nightmare. A stunning glimmery mount that plays Hardrock music while mounting it. It looked badass, and everyone wanted it. It was also a prestige item, as how many times a player completed the most challenging dungeon in-game. Nona really wanted it because it was pretty.


    [18.12.2020 21:23] @NotaTimeTraveller: Hi, guys!


    [18.12.2020 21:27] @Iknowaguy: Hey Nona!, how was work today?


    Iknow was the eldest of the guild. At least, that is what he told them. He usually plays as a tank and was always very kind to each team member. From all of them, he had collected all the mounts, but like Nona and the rest of the team, he still needed Nightmare. Nona was the only one from the guild with only one mount, dropped from the easiest dungeon, which she had to complete repeatedly.


    However, Nightmare was an RNG item that only applies as fashionable, and it was fun. It was fun for her to talk to people who were not her mum and sister or from work.


    [18.12.2020 21:29] @Pick-me-boy: Hello!


    [18.12.2020 21:33] @Evil_Kitty: uwu everyone <3


    [18.12.2020 21:35] @NotaTimeTraveller: @Iknowaguy was fine, better than yesterday. @party Are we all up to crawl the dungeon again, or do you guys have something else in mind?


    Nona didn¡¯t know much about Kitty and Pickme, but she guessed they were in their early twenties and still students. At least both still live with their parents. Everyone liked to keep real life out of the game. Still, there was always an opening for heartfelt conversation more important than completing a quest.


    [18.12.2020 21:37] @Pick-me-boy: I have been here for an hour, and the game is bugging like S***! The patch this week f***ed up.


    [18.12.2020 21:39] @Evil_Kitty: Dude, you forgot to remove your profanity filter.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    [18.12.2020 21:42] @Pick-me-boy: asshole shit fucker twat is it working?


    [18.12.2020 21:44] @Evil_Kitty: Must keep that love bombing!!!


    [18.12.2020 21:45] @NotaTimeTraveller: lol


    [18.12.2020 21:45] @Iknowaguy: lmao


    [18.12.2020 21:45] @Pick-me-boy: lol


    [18.12.2020 21:48] @NotaTimeTraveller: We are four, think is enough to go in. Has anyone already applied?


    [18.12.2020 21:51] @Iknowaguy: Not yet was hoping for more dps.


    [18.12.2020 21:53] @NotaTimeTraveller: Do we need more dps?


    Nona was the worst mage in gaming history. She had absolutely no mastery of rotations and the game''s mechanics. It is still a mystery to all others of the group how she managed to get legendary gear. As per, Pickme, the game was rigged, and Nona could only have a secret lucky charm attached to her gaming PC.


    [18.12.2020 21:58] @Evil_Kitty: Nona I love you, but your dc is still too low. I don¡¯t have enough mana to keep Iknow alive and rivive you all the time you drop dead. We need help.


    [18.12.2020 22:01] @Pick-me-boy: or a miracle


    [18.12.2020 21:58] @Evil_Kitty: Nona I love you, but your dc is still too low. I don¡¯t have enough mana to keep Iknow alive and rivive you all the time you drop dead. We need help.


    [18.12.2020 22:02] @NotaTimeTraveller: Kitty you¡¯re glitching.


    [18.12.2022 22:05] @Evil_Kitty: Guys, can you read me?


    [18.12.2022 22:03] @Evil_Kitty: Or is the game glitching?


    [18.12.2022 22:01] @Evil_Kitty: I am glitching?


    [18.12.2022 21:58] @Evil_Kitty logged off


    Nona got her nose closer to the screen. Kitty logged off at 21:58, but her last message was dated 22:03. Pickme was right. The game was glitching badly. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the server entered into urgent maintenance. Maybe they could take advantage of the bug to win Nightmare.


    [18.12.2020 22:04] @Iknowaguy: Shit, we lost our healer.


    [18.12.2020 22:05] @NotaTimeTraveller: We wait. Maybe she will come back.


    [18.12.2020 22:05] @Pick-me-boy: Telling you man, the game has been glitching all day! Half of the map comes and goes. Dungons are rested and you¡¯re not even close to the boss. A SHIT SHOW!


    [18.12.2020 22:07] @NotaTimeTraveller: I was looking forward to play.


    [18.12.2020 22:08] @Iknowaguy: We wait, is not like we have nothing else to do.


    [18.12.2020 22:11] @Pick-me-boy: Actually guys my bf is coming over.


    [18.12.2020 22:12] @Iknowaguy: Uhhhhhhhh look who will get lucky tonight. Did you guys tested Covid before the date?


    [18.12.2020 22:13] @Pick-me-boy: Yeah, we did. Still didn¡¯t catch in the last two years! Lol


    [18.12.2020 22:14] @Pick-me-boy: I finally followed your advise guys and asked him out. Okay first was just a beer-dude-hangout but ended up as a makeout party in my dads van.


    Nona felt a pinch of jealousy. If someone so blunt and straightforward as Pickme could find himself a boyfriend, why was she still on her own? The thought was childish. She was alone because she wanted to be alone, and also, if someone lives secluded between four walls, there isn''t much to choose from. But it still stings to see others happy.


    [18.12.2020 22:14] @NotaTimeTraveller: Classy.


    [18.12.2020 22:15] @Pick-me-boy: Shush, you old woman!


    She deserved that comment.


    [18.12.2020 22:18] @Iknowaguy: If Nona is old, what am I? Dinosaur?


    [18.12.2020 22:19] @Pick-me-boy: A cute dinosaur.


    [18.12.2020 22:22] @NotaTimeTraveller: lol, cute


    [18.12.2020 22:23] @Pick-me-boy logged off


    [18.12.2020 22:23] @NotaTimeTraveller: Autsh did we upset him?


    [18.12.2020 22:24] @Iknowaguy: Fire in his pants, that was the deal.


    [18.12.2020 22:25] @NotaTimeTraveller: I¡¯m happy for him, he sounded happy.


    [18.12.2020 22:25] @Iknowaguy: Young love, miss those ones.


    [18.12.2020 22:26] @NotaTimeTraveller: I don¡¯t think we are allowed to say that. Lol


    [18.12.2020 22:27] @Iknowaguy: Shut up, you are what, 27, 29?


    [18.12.2020 22:28] @NotaTimeTraveller: 30


    [18.12.2020 22:29] @Iknowaguy: A child! I could be your grandpa!


    [18.12.2020 22:30] @Iknowaguy: Sweetheart, I don¡¯t think they are coming back. Will log off for the night, have a nice one Nona. Be safe!


    [18.12.2020 22:31] @Iknowaguy logged off


    She looked at her screen, disappointed that they all logged off, she would probably be kicked at any moment, or maybe they would return. Schrodinger was sleeping on her lap. She brushed his fur with her fingertip, looking at the screen, waiting. Her mouth was dry, with a dusty flavour of overcooked meat. The hair on her arms rose. And her cat''s soft purring went silent. She looked around, but nothing was happening. She suddenly thought of the shirt and ran to the kitchen. Opened the freezer, and it was still there. Intact. She mumbled: ''Test, test.''; just to confirm she could hear herself.


    She went to the living room, and nothing. Same in her bedroom and bathroom.


    ''What is it?''; asked her cat.


    ''It is happening.''


    ''Are you sure?''


    ''I can taste it.''


    She sat back on her computer, and she got a notification:


    [99.99.9999 99:99] System notification: @_whiterabbit_ request to join the party


    She clicked on accept. While black particles left floating between her lips


    [18.12.2023 23:31] @_whiterabbit_: Hi


    [18.12.2023 23:31] @_whiterabbit_: Am Day!


    [18.12.2023 23:31] @_whiterabbit_: When are you from?

 00:03 - When are you from?

    [18.12.2023 23:31] @_whiterabbit_: Hi


    [18.12.2023 23:31] @_whiterabbit_: Am Day!


    [18.12.2023 23:31] @_whiterabbit_: When are you from?


    Nona reread that sentence once, twice, a third and repeated. Was someone else just like her? Or maybe someone could actually travel through time? Nona could feel her heart beating in her throat. She was shivering and could barely focus her eyes on the screen. Schrodinger woke up and noticed her pale face: ''Are you all right, love of my life?''


    ''Someone just asked me when am I from.''


    ''Are you sure you are reading that right, love of my life?''; the cat sat on her lap and read the sentence she pointed with her mouse: ''Must be a typo, my love.''


    ''You think?''


    ''Absolutely.''; he confirmed.


    ''Look at the date next to his name.''; Nona insisted.


    ''Shit.''


    [18.12.2020 22:34] @NotaTimeTraveller: I¡¯m from 18th December 2021. It is 22:24, and it''s Friday.


    [18.12.2023 23:35] @_whiterabbit_ logged off


    ''Shit.''; she said back. ''They logged off.''


    ''Maybe the game is broken. We should have watched a movie and eaten chips.''; complained Schrodinger, still looking at the screen as if he was chasing a fly.


    ¡®You might be right. Or it could have been a glitch.''; said Nona, disappointed. ¡®Or a silly trojan is infecting Cloudflare''s servers. I did have this user yesterday with an issue with his time settings on his PC.''


    ''Could be related or could be not related.''; replied Schrodinger vaguely.


    ''Or it is related and not related at the same time.''


    ''Smartass.''


    ''That is why you love me.''; she jested, petting him between his ears.


    ''True.''; he purred.


    ''So, are you still up for a movie?''


    ''As long it is not Back to the Future, I am up for anything.''


    ''The City of Angels it is!''


    ''Oh, no!''; he moaned: ''You''re lucky I''m so in love with you.''


    Nona was about to speak when a sudden ashy taste stuck to her tongue and black dust ran away between her lips. And a daunting female voice could finally be heard through the walls of her apartment. ''Is any spirit present?''


    ''Oh no!''; said Schrodinger sarcastically: ''We are no longer watching Nicolas Cage falling in love with Meg Ryan.''


    The voice repeated: ''Spirit! Are you with us?''


    ''Am I supposed to do something?''; asked Nona, a bit confused.


    ''Of course not.''Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Nona looked at her corridor that linked each room to the main door and saw nothing. She could only hear this time. ''Spirit! Give us a sign.''


    As she returned to her office, she accidentally slammed her shoulder against the frame door leading Nona to shout. ''Autsh, fuck!''


    ''Did you hear it? He''s with us!''


    ''What have you done.''; the black cat rolled his eyes while placing a paw between his eyes.


    ''They can hear me?''


    ''Are you Marlin Smithlock?''


    ''No.''; shouted Nona.


    ''Spirit, are you Marlin Smithlock?''


    ''No.''; shouted Nona louder.


    ''Spirit, if you are Marlin Smithlock, son of Marie Helen Smithlock, hit the walls once!''


    Nona looked suspicious to Schrodinger, who said: ''I think we should have fun with it.'' Nona, with no hesitation, slapped the doorframe once.


    ''Helen, it''s him. It''s him. What should I ask next? Sure, my darling, hang on there. Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, your mother misses you very much and wants to know if you are in peace now.''


    ¡®Marie Helen Smithlock. Strange, the name rings a bell, but I can''t recall why.''


    ''I know why.''; said the cat short.


    ''You know who she is?''


    ''She was a fanatic who believed Allan Kardec''s teachings. To prove to anyone that his theory about speaking to the dead was real, she killed her baby boy around 1890. He was five.''; he explained.


    ''Wasn''t she hanged?''


    ''Yes, she was. But, until the end, she pledged not guilty.''


    ''So she believes right now he is still alive in another form. And we are proving her right, as if she did nothing wrong.''


    ''Yeah. Sort of takes all the fun of it.''


    ''What do we do now?''


    ''We can leave it as it is. And just give her the silent treatment. Or, we could have serious fun.''; there was a devilish tone at the black cat''s words.


    ''Wasn''t it two knocks for no?''


    ''Yes, it was.''; Schrodinger confirms.


    ''This seems better than watching a movie.''; Nona smirked while she knocked on the door frame twice. And a silence permuted for long minutes until the voice asked: ''Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, child, are you not in peace? Knock once for yes, twice for no.''


    One knock. ''Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, where are you? In limbo?''


    ''Shit, what is limbo?''


    ''Is the place between heaven and hell as per Catholics.''


    ''Is that a good thing or a bad thing?''


    ''I don''t know. I suppose for a child is a bad thing, and people would expect children will go directly to heaven.''; he explained.


    ''How could I say he is waiting for his mother to show her the path to hell?''


    ''That would be so awesome. We could try morse code, but not everyone knows it at their time.''


    ''Oh, I have an idea.''; Nona knocked slowly three times.


    ''Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, are you In limbo?''; the voice repeated. And the answer was four clear knocks. ''Helen, I don''t understand. Is there any reason why your son would behave like that? Was he mad at you? Helen? Don''t cry, darling. Let me ask again. Yes? Let''s do this. Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, are you In limbo?'' Nona knocked five times now on the doorframe. ''Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, are you angry, child?''


    Nona smirked, satisfied and knocked just once.


    ''Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, why are you mad? Did someone hurt you?'' One knock. Helen, what are you doing? Leave the candles alone. You are breaking the circle! Don''t you want to know what happened to your boy? He is obviously suffering. We must help him. Helen! Put that down! Helen, oh my gracious lord Jesus Christ how dare you! Put that down. John! John, come here! Marie Helen Smithlock, how dare you bring foul intentions to my home. John, please show this lady the exit door and remember her. She will no longer be welcome.''


    A deep male voice could be heard: ''Ma''am, drop the knife. I will take you back home. And be grateful my mistress is kind enough to let you go without calling the local authorities.


    The woman was in danger. In a time event prank, Nona had just put someone else life in danger. So she did the only thing she could do and slammed her door repeatedly. Until she heard the voice again. The medium was crying and sobbing: ''Spirit of Marlin Smithlock, poor little boy, you just saved my life. You just saved my life.''


    Nona and Schrodinger heard the woman cry. Sobbing and mumbling words that none of them couldn''t understand. ''Thank you, little angel. Thank you. Thank you. I''ll make it right. I''ll make it right for you, little angel. You may go in peace. You may go.''


    They stopped hearing the disturbed sobbing of the woman even though Nona didn''t dare to make any move, to say a single word. ''I think it is gone, my love.''; Schrodinger said.


    ''I almost killed her.''; said Nona with a breaking voice. ''I almost killed someone somewhen because I was bored. What the fuck is wrong with me?''

 00:04 - When are you from?

    ''Noises?''; asked Nona rubbing her eye. Schrodinger peeked between her legs outside the door to check who it was.


    ''Several tenants have been complaining, and all agree that the noises, bangings to be more precise, coming from your apartment. Do you know anything?''; asked the old man, torn between being upset or worried at seeing Nona''s black circle eyes.


    ''I''m not aware of anything.''; she lied, shrugging.


    ''Miss Perenna, Nona, you pay the bills on time. I never had a single complaint. Is everything all right?''; he asked again, genuinely concerned. ''Have you eaten?''


    ''Everything is all right, Mr Who. It may have been my cat. I don''t know. I went to bed early the last couple of days. You know how it is. The meds sort of knock me out.''


    ''You would tell me if something was wrong, right?''


    ''Of course, I would. But as you can see, everything is fine. You are free to inspect the flat if it eases your mind. I have nothing to hide.''; said Nona, inviting the old man in.


    ''No, no, I don''t want to be that sort of landlord. You just remind me of my youngest, and I worry about you. I do.''


    ''All is fine. It is just my cat and me.''


    ''No boys?''


    ''No boys.''


    ''Girls?''


    ''Neither, just me and Schrodinger, my cat''


    ''And have you taken your meds all right?''


    ''Yes, I was actually about to make some coffee, orange juice, a toast and a pinch of drugs. Which I mean meds.''; she clarified.


    ''I don''t like to pry, but you look so tired, lass.''


    ''Well, not everyone can be as handsome as you, Mr Who.''; Nona attempted to draw a smile while jesting.


    ''That is the lass I know. All right, I''m just going to tell the others to piss off. And anything you need, knock at my door, all right, lass?''


    ''Yes, Mr Who, and thank you.''


    Nona closed the door, sighing. Her landlord was right. She looked and felt tired as if all her body carried the weight of time. She dragged her feet to the kitchen and turned the coffee machine on.


    ''So we are going to have toast for breakfast?''; asked Schrodinger, excited.


    Nona took a mug from the cabinet and didn''t reply to him.


    ''The toaster is on the other cabinet.''; he pointed with his nose. Still, she didn''t say anything. Just placed the mug under the coffee machine and pressed the button.


    ''Don''t do that, love of my life. I hate when you do this. Talk to me, my love, please.'' His voice was muffled by the coffee machine sizzling, crackling, and dripping into the mug. Schrodinger hated these days when Nona decided he wasn''t real. That cats don''t talk. It broke his heart each time, but he knew that the more he insisted, the longer she would ignore him.


    So he lay on her lap quietly while she was on the table, scrolling on her phone while drinking coffee. Schrodinger decided he hated this day already, and it had just started.


    The apartment was silent the whole day besides the sound of the keyboard and the muffling music coming from Nona''s headset. She was in front of her laptop, playing games since breakfast. She didn''t even take her pyjama off. Today was a bad day, and then her phone rang. Nona didn''t recognise the number and ignored it, but it kept ringing. She grabbed the phone and looked at the number flashing on the screen. The sound disappeared. Instead, goosebumps crawled all over her skin while a dusty sticky taste on her mouth exhaled into black particles. Nona answered the call: ''Hello?''


    ''Who the fuck are you?''; answered an angry woman''s voice.


    Nona didn''t know if it was supposed to answer. Was this real? Or was she having an episode?


    ''Hello? Hey! Bitch are you there?'' The voice sounded angrier than before. Nona didn''t know what to do. Maybe it was all in her head, and there was no reason an unknown number would call her.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ''Is Day there? Are you guys fucking? Can you fucking answer me, or is your mouth busy with his dick! Tell him, you fucking whore, I am in front of his apartment. Or he opens the door, or I will break it!''; as the call dropped, Nona could hear an aggressive knock on her door. Was it Mr Who again? It could only be Mr Who, right? ''Day open the fucking door! You fucking twat! Cheater! Fucking coward, open the door!''


    Nona stood up from her chair and slowly walked over eggshells to the door to spy on the peephole. She saw a tall blond woman with red lipstick and a red dress. She was beautiful, but she looked enraged. Nona sat on the floor with her back against the door.


    ''Just ignore it. You don''t have to open it.'' Schrodinger broke his silence.


    ''Is not real.''


    ''My love, I can''t play this game with you again.''


    ''What game?''


    ''Where I have to explain to you how everything really works. We have been doing this for a long time.''; Schrodinger complained.


    ''But it isn''t real.''


    ''If you need me to tell you today, it isn''t real. I''ll do it. But it is not going to change what you are.''


    ''I don''t want to be me today.''; she said.


    ''Then it is not real. You are not a Time-Space Vortex. You are just Nona. There is nothing special about you, and cats don''t talk, nor are they Time Travelers. Is it better?''


    ''No.''


    The woman''s banging on her door and loud cursing vanished.


    ''She is gone. You can go back to your game.''; said Schrodinger strolling to the office. Nona followed him and went back to the game. None of the guild members logged in that day and getting a friendly party to crawl dungeons was really hard. She had been kicked several times since this morning, which wasn''t helping with her bad mood.


    [99.99.9999 99:99] System notification: @_whiterabbit_ request to join the party


    [99.99.9999 99:99] System notification: @_whiterabbit_ request to join the party


    [99.99.9999 99:99] System notification: @_whiterabbit_ request to join the party


    Nona recognised the user name from Friday night. She tried to ignore it, but the notification spammed her screen, and she eventually accepted.


    [19.12.2023 18:31] @_whiterabbit_: Hi


    [19.12.2023 18:31] @_whiterabbit_: Am Day!


    [19.12.2023 18:31] @_whiterabbit_: When are you from?


    Day, the same name the other woman mentioned earlier. Was this related?


    [19.12.2020 18:34] @NotaTimeTraveller: You again??!!


    [19.12.2023 18:35] @_whiterabbit_: Have we talked before?


    [19.12.2020 18:37] @NotaTimeTraveller: You are asking me all the time when I am from.


    [19.12.2023 18:38] @_whiterabbit_: LMAO!!!!!


    [19.12.2023 18:39] @_whiterabbit_: That was a typo. That is so funny! I meant where you are from. So sorry.


    [19.12.2020 18:40] @NotaTimeTraveller: Why the fuck would you ask that you don¡¯t even know me.


    [19.12.2023 18:41] @_whiterabbit_: Why is everyone so unfriendly in this game?


    [19.12.2023 18:41] @_whiterabbit_: I just ask to know if we are in the same timezone. Trying to make friends.


    [19.12.2023 18:42] @_whiterabbit_: Having bad day?


    [19.12.2020 18:44] @NotaTimeTraveller: Yeah, sorry.


    [19.12.2023 18:46] @_whiterabbit_: We are all assholes at a given moment.


    [19.12.2023 18:46] @_whiterabbit_: I¡¯m Day btw.


    [19.12.2020 18:47] @NotaTimeTraveller: Nona.


    [19.12.2023 18:49] @_whiterabbit_: So, Nona what¡¯s your story?


    [19.12.2020 18:51] @NotaTimeTraveller: You would never believe me


    [19.12.2023 18:52] @_whiterabbit_: Try me


    [19.12.2020 18:53] @NotaTimeTraveller: I¡¯m the girl who can taste time.


    [19.12.2020 18:53] @NotaTimeTraveller: I¡¯m a Time Space Vortex


    [19.12.2023 18:54] @_whiterabbit_: So this is not a bug? You are from 2020?


    [19.12.2020 18:55] @NotaTimeTraveller: You are 2023?


    [19.12.2023 18:56] @_whiterabbit_: fuck


    [19.12.2023 18:56] @_whiterabbit_: fuck, you''re joking, right?

 00:05 - When are you from?

    Nona woke up with the sound of her alarm. Today was Monday, 2oth December 2021. She rolled over and pulled herself out from under the blankets. Calmly as possible before sitting on her bed to pull on a new pair of socks. Since, again, one of her socks went missing. Then Nona, dressed in her jeans and a grey jumper, went into the kitchen and turned her coffee machine on.


    Her days seemed all the same. She woke early, made and drank too much coffee, just an endless succession of cloned Mondays. Only to be interrupted by tormenting time events that could or could not belong to her timeline. It did not help her to keep up a peach routine.


    She sat in her office room in front of her computer, turned it on, and as it played its sound effects, Nona heard Schrodinger''s usual greetings:


    ''Good Morning, love of my life!'' She didn''t answer and set down her cup on her desk.


    The Monday''s morning light streaming through the window fell across like liquid gold, making the surfaces look almost luminous. It was one of those rare mornings when Nona felt at peace with her tedious day-to-day, until someone knocked at the door.


    The knocking continued, but without any real sense of urgency, so after taking another sip of coffee, Nona left her chair and walked over to the entrance hall, where she opened the front door. There stood the postman with a package. ''Miss Nona Anna Perenna?''


    ''Yes, it''s me.''


    ''This is for you, and I need a signature here.''; said the man handing her the package and the delivery form. ''Have a nice day!''; he said, turning away.


    Nona closed the door.


    ''What is it?''; asked the cat.


    ''Must be the DNA tool kit I ordered.''; replied Nona opening the parcel. ''That was really quick.''


    Inside was one box wrapped in brown paper and tied up with strings. It looked very ordinary, and Nona took it to the kitchen while the cat watched her curiously from the floor.


    She untied the strings holding together the box. It had a small plastic bag containing two vials, one red, the other blue. ''Why are there two vials?''; she muttered.


    Something struck her as odd. She checked the label of the vials, the blue one was dated 2023, and the other one, the red, was labelled for 2021. ''What does this mean?''; she mumbled again to herself..


    At the bottom of the box was even a note which read:


    Dear Mrs Schrodinger, I hope this will help your research. If they don''t work, we can try again.


    ''What is this note?''; Nona spoke to herself, looking at her cat, who sat over the table. He blinked his big yellow eyes not having a clue neither.


    ''Do you know what the note means?''; asked the cat.


    ''No!''; exclaimed Nona. ''Why does it comes with someone else''s name?''


    ''What name?''; asked Schrodinger, and Nona showed him the note.


    Schr?dinger shrugged. ''That doesn''t matter now.''; he said.


    Nona nodded: ''Maybe it is just a mistake.''


    ''You should go back to work,''; advised the cat. And so Nona did.


    04:00 PM, Nona hung-up the last call of the day. She went to the kitchen and took the shirt from Qatar 2022 out of the freezer. She opened the frozen plastic bag and took the shirt out. Cut it into two small squares from the cloth and put each piece into the vials. She screwed both tight and dropped the vials back into the box.


    ''I will go out now!''; said Nona bravely. She wasn''t used to going out much, and thinking that a time event could happen in the middle of the street and crowd made her anxious. But so far, the day had been calm, no sticky taste on her tongue.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Schrodinger looked at her, worried. She placed the box inside her bag. She put her headphones blasting music. Put a mask and latex gloves on. ''See you later, Schrodinger.''; she said while closing the door behind her and locking it twice. Always twice.


    And there she was, headed off towards town.


    There weren''t many people around because it was close to Christmas Eve and Covid-18 forced people to prefer the safety of their homes. Most shops were closed anyway. She passed several pubs along the way, and suddenly it happened. Again.


    She could barely feel the goosebumps with the cold of December. Yet, her headset went silent as any sound from her surroundings. And finally, there it was, the taste. The taste of time, a mix of dust and sand, staining her mask with black powder.


    As she turned around, Nona saw a mob screaming the words: WOMAN! LIFE! FREEDOM!


    A woman was being dragged out of a pub, kicking and fighting. A crowd followed them, shouting slogans. Nona ran forward to see if she could hide. But it was no use. The police were already arresting people and shooting others. Chaos, screams, and fire reigned the streets.


    Nona saw young girls shouting words she couldn''t understand while they were cutting their hair. She saw another woman setting her scarf on fire while a bullet pierced her chest.


    Nona wanted to run but knew it wouldn''t do any good. Her hands began to tremble. Her breathing went out of control, and she started to sweat. Nona began to have a panic attack. ''Shit! Shit! Shit! Breath, just breathe, it''s not real. It''s not happening.''; she repeated to herself pinching the palm of her hand to calm the anxiety.


    She found herself standing outside the local library. Its doors had been smashed open and broken glass littered the floor. Books lay scattered everywhere, some burning, others covered in blood. Nona looked around where to flee when suddenly a police officer grabbed her jacket. ''Let''s get going!''; shouted the policeman. Another group of law enforcement came running. One of them pointed his gun at Nona.


    ''Freeze!''; screamed, pointing the weapon at her. She ran the opposite way of the mob as fast as she could until someone pushed her to an alleyway between the buildings.


    Nona stopped breathing, startled, knowing she was trapped. The stranger embraced her tightly while brushing slowly her hair. He was hiding her face against his chest.


    ''Don''t worry,''; he whispered in Nona''s ear. ''They won''t hurt you. They are not from this time.'';


    Nona tried to break free, but the grip tightened even further. ''Who are you?''; she tried to shout, while she was intoxicated by his scent of lemon pine and peppermint.


    ''Wrong question, love of my life.''; replied the tall man whose smell was so strangely familiar to her.


    He let Nona go.


    Nona gasped for air. She looked at the man, trying to refocus on her blurred vision. He was definitely tall, in a black suit with no tie, and she couldn''t figure out his face hidden by huge sunglasses and a black cloth mask.


    ''My name...''; started Nona, but the masked man interrupted her.


    ''I know who you are, love of my life!''; he answered.


    Suddenly everything became calm in the street, and the event ended. The quiet sound of the streets, the random roaming of two or three people and the traditional Christmas tune from one of the stores.


    ''It is safe now.''; he said, pulling down his mask, smirking, and showing defined canine teeth.


    Nona breathed a sigh of relief. She rubbed her arms, feeling chilled despite wearing a thick jumper and jacket.


    ''Thank you, whoever you are.''; she told him.


    But the stranger only grinned. He grabbed her arm and kissed her. His velvety lips embraced hers, tasting like orange and petals. Nona felt her cheeks burning, but the kiss didn''t stop there. He moved closer, pressing his body against hers.


    Nona didn''t realised she stopped trying to push him away and didn''t try to resist neither as if the kiss was a habit. A morning ritual of yesterday and an expectation of every day. His touch sent shivers through her spine, and butterflies floated from her throat to her stomach. Suddenly the world changed around them, becoming bright and warm, like springtime. And Nona felt dizzy.


    When she finally recovered, she realized she was lying on her couch. Above dusk, sunlight poured through large windows and illuminated her living room. ''What the fuck happened?''


    ''So how was the world outside?''; asked Schrodinger.


    ''I went out?''


    ''Yes, you did.''


    ''I don''t remember going to the post office.''; she mumbled, confused.


    ''You didn''t come back with the package.''; assured the black cat adjusting himself to lay next to her.


    ''How strange. I think I meet someone.''


    ''You did?''


    ''He kissed me, I think.''


    ''Was he handsome?''


    ''Wait, maybe it...''


    ''Did you like the kiss?''; asked Schrodinger, insisting.


    ''It was just a dream.''; said Nona looking around the apartment. Everything was normal, even the clock on the wall.

 00:06 - When are you from?

    Horatio was an ordinary guy with a regular job. Even his appearance was normal. He wore glasses and had short brown hair. He wasn''t handsome or ugly, just average, which is what most people want to be anyway. A bit too slender, perhaps, but it''s not easy for anyone to maintain the ideal body type these days, especially when you have a laboratory job, working non stop and eating pizza for dinner.


    Horatio''s job was relatively easy. He would receive packages of DNA containers worldwide, run the sequence and upload it to their data centre to find a similar match. Easy, tedious job, but it paid the bills and had an extra left.


    Today, his colleague was late. He could bet that Day fell asleep again¡ªgreat guy but terrible with schedules. Day spent too much time playing video games. Day was taller than him, with wavy hair and hazel eyes. He was an excellent lab partner, but he didn''t take work to much seriously. It took some effort for Horatio to get through to him. They''d been working in the same lab since graduating from college. Their friendship had developed inside the lab, and they eventually became great friends, as long as Horatio didn''t need Day on time.


    Horatio was about to open the first package of the day from Mrs Schrodinger. The box contained two vials, one blue and the other red. He found on one vial a piece of cloth stained with blood. But the peculiar thing was their labels. One had the date from 2021, and the other from 2023.


    ''What the fuck is this?''; Horatio inspected the box more closely. ''It looks like some kind of bad joke.''


    The date on the post seal was from 20th December 2021, and the address blew Horatio''s mind. He knew the location, and he grabbed his phone, calling Day.


    ''Day here.''; grumbled a sleepy voice.


    ''Are you fucking with me!''; Horatio yelled.


    ''I''m sorry?'' Day replied, confused.


    ''Mrs Schrodinger! Are you out of your mind?'' Horatio banged his fist against the table. ''You just sent me a package with blooded fabric from your fucking address! Day, this isn''t funny!''


    ''You''re joking?'' Day said. ''I have been living here for over ten years now. There is no Mrs I-Don''t-Know-Who. And surely I didn''t send anything! I don''t even know any Schrodinger! What a silly name.''


    ''What? You tell me if I''m joking!'' Horatio shouted into the phone.


    ''I don''t know what you are talking about, dude.'' Day sounded utterly lost.


    Horatio took a deep breath and calmed himself down. ''We got a package with blood coming from your house.''


    ''Blood?'' Day replied: ''Are you pranking me because I''m late?''


    ''Do you think I sound like I''m pranking? Where the fuck are you?'' Horatio asked. Day didn''t answer. ''Get your ass in the lab, or I swear on your mother I will report you to Dawn!''


    Day laughed nervously: ''Yeah, don''t do that, dude. I broke up with Dawn this weekend, and things got really sour. And I do still need the job regardless.''


    ''Well then, get your ass here right now!'' Horatio hung up. His heart was beating hard in his chest. Something was wrong. So very wrong. He could feel it in his gut. He looked at the second vial and saw another piece of cloth, also stained with blood.


    Day showed up at the lab two hours later. He looked tense, and Horatio was relieved to see him.


    ''How did it go?'' Horatio asked. ''I mean with Dawn.''


    ''She moved out yesterday.,'' Day replied. ''But my now ex-girlfriend freaked out, made a fucking huge scene and tried to get back inside the house.''


    Horatio nodded while listening. Now he understood the reason why his friend was so uneasy. ''Did she hurt herself?''


    ''No, nothing like that,'' Day said. ''She only yelled and ran around screaming and crying.''


    Horatio could feel the tension in Day''s voice. Something strange was going on, and Day was trying to avoid saying anything more than absolutely necessary.


    ''So what happened after?'' Horatio asked.


    ''I don''t know. Dawn said she called me, and a girl picked up the phone.'' Day rubbed his eyes with his hands. ''I never heard of any girl before. She called me a cheater and all that crap. I think Dawn is losing her shit.''


    ''Can we take a look at the samples, now?''


    ''Of course, man. Did you run the data already?''


    Horatio nodded and walked to the computer screen. ''Yes, both sequences match perfectly with our database.''


    ''Okay, let''s take a look at these results.'' Day sat down on a nearby chair.


    ''Do you see it?'' Horatio asked, pointing to the screen.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ''See what? What am I looking for?''


    ''Look carefully.''


    Day leaned closer and stared at the screen. ''This sample belongs to a middle east female, and we have a name, very good.''


    Horatio nodded and gestured for Day to continue. ''Check her name, please.''


    ''Fatima Zaidi, born in 2001, dead in 2022.''


    ''Now check the carbon-14 of the sample we have.''


    ''That is not possible!'' Day blurted out.


    ''Carbon-14 decays over time. That blood sample is intact.''


    ''It can''t be. It should have a decay of one year at least!'' Day shook his head and stood up. ''There''s some kind of mistake!''


    Horatio said calmly. ''Recheck the date of death.''


    ''I cannot believe this.'' Day felt dizzy. ''What does it means?''


    Horatio shrugged: ''A glitch in the matrix?''


    ''Pardon?''


    ''Nothing, just a joke. Let''s take another look.''


    Day pressed the keys, and a new window came up. ''Holy shit.'' Day''s mouth hung wide open.


    ''That is the last thing. This girl was a victim of murder. Mrs Schrodinger sent us two vials, and I bet you a pizza that the second vial belongs to the killer.'' Horatio smiled. ''And we have the chance to catch him. Well, at least help to catch him.''


    ''Why would anyone send us something like that? This is not a forensic lab.''


    Horatio agreed. ''I don''t know, but that blood must be from a real murder case. Let''s keep going.''


    They continued through the rest of the files. The victim and the killer were side-by-side on the screen with all their ancestry data, address, bank details, and any existing data.


    ''What should we do now?''; asked Horatio.


    ''Call the cops.'' Day spoke unhurriedly.


    ''Right.'' Horatio nodded. ''I''ll call them now and ask them to come to the lab.''


    Horatio took his phone, and after two rings, the operator answered.


    ''Police Departement. How may I help you?''; greeted a young woman''s voice.


    ''Hello, I''d like to report a crime, I think.'' Horatio paused and glanced at Day. ''It seems to be a homicide from 2021 or 2022. We aren''t really sure.''


    ''Okay, sir. Can you describe the situation to me?''


    ''Yes. My name is Dr Horatio Clock, and my colleague and I have a package delivered to us containing two vials of blood samples.'' Horatio described the contents of each vial and where they were from. ''We discovered the DNA matched Fatima Zaidi, who died in 2022 from stabbed wounds. By coincidence, the other vial has a matching profile too.''


    The operator became silent after hearing Horatio''s description. ''Thank you for contacting Pi WTL department. Sir, I understand you are calling about a serious matter.''


    ''It is indeed,'' Horatio replied. ''May we talk to a police officer or someone that handles this type of case, please?''


    ''Sure, hold on.'' The operator put the phone down, and the typing sounds replaced the background noise. ''Please hold on.''


    Horatio paced back and forth on the floor, waiting patiently. He knew how difficult it was for someone to give information on a murder investigation from all the shows he saw on streaming services. They were dealing with human remains, and nobody wanted to break protocol or whatever it was.


    Finally, the operator returned. ''Sorry, sir. Your request is being forwarded to WTL''s main department. The inspector assigned to your time area will be informed as soon as possible. He will contact you soon. Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday.''


    Horatio thanked the woman, a bit confused and hung up.


    ''So, what now?''; asked Day.


    ''Now we wait.'' Horatio said. ''I hope the inspector calls us back quickly.'' Horatio sat down at his desk and rested his elbows on the surface.


    ''Did she give you the name of the inspector?''


    ''No.'' Horatio shook his head. ''But hopefully, we won''t need to talk to him.''


    ''Let''s hope you''re right.''


    Horatio placed his face in his hands and sighed. ''Do we have to stay here?''


    ''I don''t know.'' Day looked up from his phone. ''Probably not. But I think it''s important that we are here in case the cops want to talk to either of us.''


    Horatio nodded: ''Maybe we should call Dawn?''


    Day frowned. ''No way! Fuck off!''


    Horatio laughed.


    After an hour, the phone rang. Both men jumped out of their seats.


    ''Hello?'' Horatio answered.


    ''Hi, Schrodinger speaking, it seems you have something that belongs to me.''


    Horatio gasped and held the phone away from his ear. He was becoming pale, sweating profusely. The name of the inspector was Schrodinger.


    ''Give me a moment. I''m having trouble hearing you.'' Horatio cleared his throat. ''Who is this?''


    ''Schrodinger, I belong to the WTL department.'' The voice was distorted as if from behind thick glass. ''Where is the data?''


    Horatio hesitated before answering. He was trying to figure out what to say next when Day decided to intervene.


    ''Who are you?'' Horatio asked.


    ''Just give me the stuff, and we can forget about this whole thing.''


    Horatio took a deep breath and passed the phone over to Day.


    ''Listen!'' Day said. ''We have no idea what you are talking about. If you don''t tell us what is happening, we will contact the cops. The real police!''


    ''Fuck off!'' Schrodinger smirked into the phone. ''You have no idea what is in your hands. Just be good boys and let the grown-ups handle it.''


    Horatio went back to the phone. ''Okay, let''s try this again.'' He cleared his throat and began to speak slowly: ''We received one package today, and both vials contained blood samples. One of the vials belonged to a middle eastern female who died in 2022. And the other was a match for a male.''


    ''Wow,'' Schrodinger interrupted. ''This is pretty much exactly what I already knew.''


    ''What is that supposed to mean?'' Horatio asked.


    ''Leave the samples and all the data related at your reception, and I''ll pick it up later. No harm done.''


    Horatio had a hard time believing what he was hearing. ''Are you sure about this?''


    ''Yes.''; said the voice on the phone: ''I will be there shortly. Please leave the doors unlocked.''


    Horatio and Day exchanged glances. Why would someone ask to leave doors unlocked?


    A female voice informed: ''Thank you for contacting Pi WTL department. Your call is important to us. Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday. Until next time we meet.''; the call dropped.

 00:07 - When are you from?

    Day was tired. He had been staying at the lab until late, waiting for the weird inspector that never showed up. It was two o''clock in the morning, and he could not sleep. Insomnia had been his old friend as far he could remember. So instead of going to bed at once as a normal person would do, Day decided to kill time with beer and his laptop. There were still some things about this whole thing that bothered him. And there might be something useful buried away somewhere, like the internet. As per rule 34, If it exists or can be imagined, there is Internet porn about it. This rule also worked for PG information. At least, that is what Day hoped.


    He began by searching for mentions of "the Inspector." This took longer than expected since most references tended toward either science fiction or urban legend: all sorts of nonsense like The Phantom Detective, Sherlock Holmes Meets Cthulhu and others. He started to type WTL into Google''s search field, which gave him results about a company named World Toilet League. That is when Day, after emptying another bottle of beer, suddenly another word came to mind, Pi, 3.14 and then, almost instantly after typing it in, an e-mail popped up on his screen. It looked like spam but didn''t seem quite right, maybe because its sender was unknown. So rather than delete it straightaway, he opened the message to see what kind of content it held before deciding whether or not to throw it away.


    From: < undisclosed-sender:>


    To: Delbert Day Whiterabbit


    Subject: Hurry Up For A Limited Time Discount!


    Hello Mr (Mrs) rABBIT, I''m A Student And I''m Honored To Be Selling Personalized T-Shirts For You.


    I have all Size - Color - Product Type - Gender Guaranteed Delivery in 3-5 days for you!!!


    Are you looking for something meaningful for someone? Give them a meaningful gift to show their love, Our t-shirts are not only good quality, but also printed with the YoUR Time iS almost uP


    Hurry Up For A Limited Time Discount


    Today There Is Still Discount 10% Off All Orders USE CODE : "DoYouKnowhowtoOpenaDoor!"


    Personalized products: if the images below do not match your name, you can correct it directly on the website, FolloW The white rabbit''s Life!


    The subject line read ''Hurry Up For A Limited Time Discount!'' and the body consisted mainly of random words. Day did not think much of it at first glance and deleted it. As soon he clicked the little bin icon, he received another e-mail.


    ¡®What the fuck.¡¯; mumbled Day, quickly scanning his computer for malware. The scan came out clean. He opened the mail.


    From: < undisclosed-sender:>


    To: Delbert Day Whiterabbit


    Subject: Save $10 (normal price $49)!


    Hey!


    Let me start of by wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas!You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The deadline for our residency prize is coming up.


    Since we''ve had fewer entries this round, I''m offering you a special discount for our residency program.


    If you apply via our website by 31 December, using the discount code DoYouKnowhowtoOpenaDoor, you will save $10 (normal price $49).


    Remember, you can schedule your trip for when suitable Time if you are selected as this round''s winner.


    Let me know if you have any questions or need any assistance.


    Not the Founder


    PS: If you''re having trouble sleeping tonight, why don''t you try to pass through a door? Just kidding. Sleep Pi.


    The second e-mail said: "Let me know if you have any questions", and ended with "Sleep Pi". Tight? Day wondered if he would get more messages. Probably hours? Days? That may be it. He typed "Schr?dinger", "cat", and "sleep tight" into the search box, then hit Enter. An instant later, two new results appeared: a Wikipedia entry on Erwin Schrodinger''s Cat and thousands of articles about the concept of Time. Day typed what is time and hit enter again. Three thousand five hundred hits returned from the Web. He clicked on the top link and found himself reading a description of Einstein''s Theory of Relativity which explained that time slows down relative to the speed of light squared. That meant it took less time to go faster than the speed of sound than to slow down, meaning that the past was slower than the present, and vice versa.


    He then searched Erwin Schrodinger''s biography online. Erwin explained time by saying that everything exists simultaneously, and thus we perceive reality as occurring in discrete chunks. When Schr?dinger wrote his famous equation, he wasn''t really talking about the wave function collapsing. What he was trying to say is that quantum mechanics shows us the world isn''t necessarily real but merely an illusion created by our consciousness. Quantum physics says that particles aren''t always where they appear to be but may pop in and out of existence without warning.


    Day leaned back on the chair, scratching his hair and opening a new beer. He was completely aloof from the random information he was reading. But on the last try, he typed 3.14 and time. A picture of a clock face filled the monitor. One minute passed, then another, and another. Then, slowly, the numbers moved backwards, passing each other twice before returning to twelve. In the background, the words TIME SLOWS DOWN DURING TIME TRAVEL appeared flashing. He pressed ESC over and over again, but the message stayed on the screen. After ten seconds, the text changed slightly: TIME SHOWS FOR YOU.


    New e-mail in-come:


    From: < undisclosed-sender:>


    To: Delbert Day Whiterabbit


    Subject: When are you from?


    Are you out of time, friend? Time slows down during time travel. Or do I mean speed?


    It''s the same phenomenon as Schr?dinger''s cat, except that now we can actually prove it works. And we certainly make it work!


    There are many theories regarding the nature of the universe, and perhaps none more intriguing than the idea that space and time exist independently of human perception. Some physicists believe that the universe is not a single entity but consists of multiple universes coexisting within one another. The multiverse theory may explain the apparent paradoxes of relativity better than anything else. Or it doesn''t explain them at all.


    There may be infinite parallel worlds. And they''re all connected, like a web, a beautiful mandala. And maybe every choice we make affects those realities, creating alternate histories. We could live in a different history altogether, one where the dinosaurs survived and evolved into birds. Another is where the Earth is all covered entirely with water. Others where humanity has conquered the stars and colonised the planets. Yet others where the sun goes nova and destroys all life. Or simply, there is no sun. What a sad time, don''t you think?


    We are still determining exactly what happened at the beginning of the Big Bang, and how it will end. Well, we actually do. But not you. All time laws are universal constants that apply equally to all matter throughout the entire universe. These fundamental forces and energies govern the structure of atoms, molecules, stars, galaxies and black holes alike. They determine the mass, charge, spin, volume and density of everything around us, including ourselves.


    Time is just another form of energy. Pure, clean and infinite power. Think about the possibilities.


    And all you need to do is to open a door and see. Don''t miss this opportunity, because the opportunity won''t miss you!


    Good Luck, Traveler! Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday. Until next time we meet.


    ''What the fuck did I just read?''; muttered Day to himself, concluding that perhaps he had too much to drink.

 00:08 - When are you from?

    Nona didn''t want to get up. Today, she gave in. She didn''t feel like working or anything. Yesterday''s event was too much. The mob, the screams, the shootings and then that kiss. The kiss was still sealed on her lips, and she couldn''t understand why. She had tried so hard not to feel. Not to care, love or create any friendship. To keep herself from feeling anything at all. Away from everyone. But somehow, there were no barriers strong enough against a thing like this: an unexpected, unlooked-for touch of something sweetly human in such a madhouse world as they lived in now. Despite his strangeness, what triggered Nona the most was how familiar he felt. It seemed almost as if she knew him before, as if they''d met somewhere else long ago, but where? Or when?


    Schrodinger climbed up the bed and put out his soft paws over her hands, and looked down into her face with those deep yellow-golden eyes, which always made it seem to her as though someone would be looking through them at some other place. Someplace beyond time itself.


    His whiskers tickled slightly beneath her fingers. He purred softly and began licking gently at one cheek: ''What wrong, love of my life?''


    ''Nothing. I''m just tired. I guess.'' said Nona. She closed her eyes for a moment and saw it all over again. The angry mob, the destruction around her, the burning buildings, the dead men and women. Especially the women. Then suddenly, she thought about him again, and her cheeks started to burn. She grabbed her pillow and hid her face behind its folds to muffle her scream.


    He licked her chin slowly. ''It''s okay.''


    She pushed back the pillow and looked at him.


    ''It is safe now.''; whispered Schrodinger.


    ''I can''t take it out of my head.''


    ''You should rest. The time event yesterday was a bit too much.''


    ''Why would a stranger kiss another stranger? Makes no sense!''


    ''You talking about the kiss?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''So, it wasn''t a dream?''


    ''I don''t know. I don''t care! I want it out of my head!''


    The cat sat upright and stared at her. Schrodinger didn''t say anything, just purred as the sun rose higher outside their window and lit up his fur in golds and reds. Outside, the city lay still asleep under a cold winter sky. Beyond the wall surrounding them, nothing stirred except birds twittering high above the rooftops.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Eventually, Nona got out of bed. She made coffee and ate some toast, sharing bits with Schrodinger. She noticed she was about to run out of meds as she drank her second cup. She really didn''t want to go out today. Her last trip out had been a nightmare. A very bad nightmare. And yet she did need her medications. There were times when she felt as though she could barely stay awake, even with the help of pills. On other days she felt like she was going crazy as if they didn''t work at all. ''Come on, Nona! You can do this!''; she said to herself.


    She took a shower and dressed quickly. She had decided she wouldn''t bother trying to look presentable because what good does it ever do? If anyone cared anyway, it would only make things worse. Besides, people were already staring at her as it was. Headsets, mask, gloves and prescription folded in her purse. She opened the main door, told Schrodinger she would be quick and went down the building stairs. As she was to open the building''s front door, a young man with hazel eyes and wavy hair was about to open it.


    Nona never saw him. She tried to pass through him, but when she moved left, he moved left, she move right, and he did right too.


    ''Damn, I''m sorry.''; he mumbled, embarrassed.


    She grabbed him by his arms and moved him to the left so she could pass through the right. He walked the stairs after her, smiling. ''Sorry again.''


    ''No problem.''


    Day got to his door and locked his keys in his jacket. While he searched, he heard some noises coming from inside. At first, he ignored it, thinking it must have come from the apartment upstairs. However, when he finally found his key, the noise continued. When Day reached his door, he unlocked it and before he was able to step into his home, he saw a tall man with long messy black hair in his boxers and black shirt. When he looked at Day with his yellow-goldish eye, he panicked.


    ''Who are you?''


    ''When the fuck are you from?''


    Day laughed nervously. ''Well¡­'', he hesitated.


    He looked around, confused. It was his house, but cleaner. No empty bottles were lying around, no dirty clothes on the floor or garbage bags to take out. The place even smelled good. ''What the fuck.''; he muttered.


    The yellow-eyed man shouted again: ''When are you from?''


    ''What the hell kind of question is that, dude? I live here!''; replied Day.


    The man looked at him and smiled sarcastically. ''Oh yes, I see your name on the lease, the fuck! This isn''t your place!''; he pointed towards the hallway. ''This is mine! Get out!''


    ''Excuse me, who the fuck are you?''; asked Day.


    The man turned to Day and spoke calmly, ''Okay, I see what''s going on.'' He got something out of the dresser down the hall and returned facing Day. A gun which he aimed straight at his forehead. ''Now, will you leave?'' and added: ''Please?''


    For a while, Day stood motionless. Finally, he nodded and closed the door. He was shaking, but this was his home. What was he supposed to do? Call the cops? Last time they did nothing. ''Man up. Day, all your stuff is there!''


    He knocked on the door, and nothing. He placed his ear against the door but couldn''t hear a sound. Day tried to open it, and it was locked. He turned the keys and when it opened, he found all his mess and the strange smell of something rotting in a corner. There was no sign of the man with strange yellow eyes.

 00:09 - When are you from?

    </a>


    On Christmas eve, Nona spent her time alone eating chop-suey with red wine and playing her games, as usual. She had no Christmas tree to decorate, no socks or presents and her only family, her mother and sister, didn''t call her. But she wasn''t sad. Nona made peace with being alone.


    She thought of it as a relief from the strain of people forcing her to be happy. But for them. Not for her. It wasn''t about her. People just wanted to see happy people, so no one had to take responsibility if there was some sort of gloom. What was wrong with being sad?


    Sadness could make sense. Even anger makes perfect sense. But happiness seemed like the ultimate achievement in someone''s life. Yet the best stories are always bittersweet at the end.


    Schrodinger stayed curled on her lap. He purred whenever he noticed Nona was looking at him. His fur felt soft against her fingers when they stroked his back. He kept it quiet. She was drinking and not really in the mood for chatting besides typing to her online friends. Nona enjoyed talking with other players, kind of. Some were intelligent or funny. Or just interesting to spend some time with.


    Kittie was offline, spending the evening with her family and probably will only log back after the holidays. Peekme logged into the game only to wish merry Christmas to all the guildies and sent a stack of cookies in-game for each one. Not the best item, but the gesture was sweet.


    [24.12.2020 21:23] @Iknowaguy: Any plans?


    [24.12.2020 21:24] @NotaTimeTraveller: Nah, staying at home with Schrodinger


    [24.12.2020 21:25] @Iknowaguy: your Boyfriend?


    [24.12.2020 21:26] @NotaTimeTraveller: LOL my cat, super cute


    [24.12.2020 21:26] @Iknowaguy: Cats are great, mine died 3 years ago. Best cat ever


    [24.12.2020 21:27] @NotaTimeTraveller: I am so sorry. How long?


    [24.12.2020 21:28] @Iknowaguy: 18


    [24.12.2020 21:28] @NotaTimeTraveler: Oh that is a good age.


    [24.12.2020 21:30] @Iknowaguy: How old is yours?


    Nona froze in front of her screen. How old was Schrodinger? How long was he with her? Nona stopped typing and stroking the cat''s fur. ''It''s okay,'' said the voice in her head. You''re doing fine. Don''t worry too much. Just keep going. But...


    How old was her cat?


    ''What''s wrong, love of my life?''; yawned Schrodinger.


    Nona drew a sad smile at him: ''My friend is asking me how old you are.''


    He stretched out his paws and looked up at her with those bright yellow-golden eyes. ''How old do you want me to be?''


    She sighed. ''I don''t know.'' She purred more wine in her glass and said: ''You do know your age, right?''


    ''Is it important?''


    ''No.''


    Schr?dinger leaned over to lick her cheek. ''Then let me stay young forever.''


    [24.12.2020 21:36] @NotaTimeTraveler: His forever young


    [24.12.2020 21:37] @Iknowaguy: Just like the song. Aren''t we all? OKay girl need to go, my wife is already shouting at me. Have a lovely evening and blessing night for you and your family.


    [24.12.2020 21:37] @Iknowaguy logged off


    He didn''t even wait for Nona''s reply.


    ''Well, no one is left to play, and the dungeon queue is fucking slow.'' Nona took another sip of her drink. ''Maybe I''ll try the new zone, see what it looks like before everyone else gets there and ruins it for me all again.''


    The server came alive and chatty all of a sudden, showing a few straggling players trying their luck on the holiday''s dungeons. A quick glance showed Nona that most players were still in the lower zones, trying to get enough loot for themselves. And some veteran players, maybe, giving away some useful items to others who need them. But what most intrigued her was the general chat timestamp. 2023.


    Nona glanced down at her cat on her lap. The pet blinked lazily at her: ''What? Still thinking about my birthdate? Because if you are, I''m starting demanding gifts. Expensive gifts.''


    Nona chuckled softly and stroked his neck. ''The timestamps in the game are wrong again.''


    ''Overcooked steak?''


    ''No, I can''t taste anything yet.''Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ''Log off. Let''s watch a movie.''


    [22.12.2023 23:46] @_whiterabbit_ is online


    Nona opened a private message with @_whiterabbit_.


    [22.12.2020 23:48] @NotaTimeTraveller: Hey! Merry Christmas.


    [22.12.2023 23:52] @_Whiterabbits_: Same to you, beautiful time lady.


    Nona smiled at this unexpected compliment.


    [22.12.2020 23:53] @NotaTimeTraveller: Shouldn''t you be spending the night with family?


    [22.12.2023 23:55] @_Whiterabbits_: Only in two days. Still early to get drunk with them.


    Nona didn''t react right away to Day''s reply. She was absently glued to his timestamp next to his username.


    [22.12.2020 23:56] @NotaTimeTraveller: what day is there?


    [22.12.2023 23:37] @_Whiterabbits_: Friday weird question


    [22.12.2020 23:37] @NotaTimeTraveller: You timestamp is showing 22.12.2023


    [22.12.2023 23:39] @_Whiterabbits_: So?


    [22.12.2020 23:41] @NotaTimeTraveller: Can you see my timestamp?


    There was a long pause while he was typing.


    [22.12.2023 23:42] @_Whiterabbits_: Is this a joke? Are you pulling my leg?


    Nona shook her head and typed.


    [22.12.2020 23:31] @NotaTimeTraveller: Why should I lie.


    [22.12.2023 23:31] @_Whiterabbits_: Because it doesn''t match.


    [22.12.2023 23:31] @_Whiterabbits_: Are you the one who is sending me the weird spam e-mails?


    [22.12.2023 23:31] @_Whiterabbits_: Because weird shit has been happening. And I think I''m losing my shit.


    Nona was about to reply when she noticed Schrodinger reading the chat. ''Stop answering him.''


    ''But maybe he knows something. Maybe he can explain the weird things happening to me.''


    ''I said stop!''


    ''Why?''


    ''This is not how it works.''


    ''So how does it works?''


    ''Look, this isn''t some science fiction bullshit. There are rules. We made rules! We follow them. That''s why we are safe and sane. Now shut it down!''


    For a moment, Nona considered arguing back. Still, she knew too well that look in Schrodinger''s eye. Nona knew that the argument would only end once one of them lost control and said something they didn''t mean to. Better to close the door behind her than leave it open.


    She was about to close the chat when it happened. The weight of silence pressed heavily upon Nona. She was suddenly aware of the lack of sound in the room. No more hum of the computer, the muted ticking clock on her wall, the disappearance of the faint murmur of conversation outside. Even the cat was silent.


    Then the goosebumps rose on Nona''s skin as if she''d stood under cold water for too long, and the chill seeped through every pore of her body. Nona closed her eyes to finally feel the taste of time passing by. She couldn''t help but notice that it tasted bitter in her mouth, like a mixture of ash and blood clots. She swallowed hard and breathed deeply once, twice. And black particles spread out in front of her.


    She saw on the reflection of her computer screen a man standing beside her chair, wearing jeans with a white shirt stained in mud. He was short, thin and balding. His face was narrow, sharp-featured and pale grey, with dark circles beneath his sunken eyes and missing one tooth. Holding a big kitchen knife against her neck. Nona gasped.


    ''Are you ready to die?'' asked the man.


    She lifted her hands, palms facing forward. They were shaking.


    ''Don''t move,'' said the man. ''Or I''ll kill her.''


    Nona heard a hiss as Schrodinger''s claws dug deep into her shoulders, running away from her office room. Nona could feel the cold of the blade against her neck. She shuddered. She wanted to scream, but her throat was dry and tight as cotton wool.


    ''Now slowly, open the safe!''; the man shouted, drolling, pulling the knife even closer to Nona''s neck. She could feel it. She rarely felt any time event, but this one made her fear for her life.


    He continued to shout: ''Don''t play the hero, son! Put the cash in the bag!''


    His breath smelled sour, like rotten eggs. Nona felt the edge burning her skin, and drops of blood fell on her sweater. She was about to die, probably.


    The man continued to yell and ask questions she couldn''t understand what or if she should answer.


    Something moved past Nona''s vision, just out of sight beyond her desk. She looked at the reflection on her screen, a tall man, with long black hair, in a black suit holding a gun against the side of the killer''s head.


    ''Hey, asshole! Get away from her!''


    The knife didn''t budge from Nona''s neck: ''I''m not leaving without my money! I worked hard for it! Is mine! Mine! I kill the bitch if he doesn''t pay me!''


    ''Drop it!''


    ''It''s my money! I need it! I need it for my kid!''


    The man with golden-yellow eyes pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the burglar straight in the head from one temple to the other, making his head explode in a spray of red. Blood sprinkled across Nona''s screen and dripped onto her keyboard.


    When Nona woke up, she was lying flat on the bed in her own bedroom with Schrodinger licking her. She sat up quickly and found herself staring at the ceiling. For some reason, she was half-naked. Her head was wet, and the flat smelled of bleach and a strong lavender scent.


    ''Go back to sleep.''


    ''What happened? Did someone just... was there a gun? Did.., I...''; muttered Nona confused.


    ''Go back to sleep.'' Schrodinger licked her hand and climbed up to curl around her neck.


    ''There was someone here.''; whispered Nona.


    ''There is always someone here. You are never alone, so nothing bad can happen. Sleep.''; insisted Schrodinger.


    Nona rolled over and stared blankly at the wall above her bed. She had a strange taste of peppermint on her lips.

 00:10 - When are you from?

    Horatio came early to work. He was perhaps one of the first to arrive to the office building. He stopped in front of the reception desk and asked if he had any correspondence or messages. The secretary, a young woman with bright red hair, Miss Penny, smiled at him: ''Good morning Dr Clock. I have nothing on the system for you today.'' She paused to look up at her screen just to double-check. Her smile was broad, but she looked tense.


    ''Is everything okay, Miss Penny?''; Horatio asked.


    ''Yes, it is nothing.''; she said, shrugging. But still keeping her lips smiling.


    ''Something happened?'' Horatio insisted.


    ''No, nothing. Just a small incident.''; Miss Penny said, ''I''m sorry, I don''t want to trouble you.''


    ''Well, something is bothering you, Miss Penny. What is it?''


    She hesitated, then sighed, trying not to get too emotional. ''A man came this morning and said he was here to pick up a package you and Dr Whiterabbit left for him.''


    ''Oh, someone finally picked it up? But this early?''


    ''Yes, and it was rather bizarre.'' Miss Penny leaned over to Horatio''s ear as if someone else could hear. ''He told me his name. It wasn''t even written down anywhere. It sounded strange, like a german name.''


    ''Schrodinger?''


    ''Yes! Hum, it was, I think, Ecke Schrodinger. Anyway,'' she continued, now without whispering: ''He gave me such a fright. He was rude and arrogant and didn''t give any identification! Instead, he mumbled what he called his WTL number. Non-sense. I thought I was being robbed or something!'' She laughed nervously. ''It turns out he wanted only the package, but I got nothing in return! No identification, no authorisation form, no instructions, nada! So I refused to give it to him. Well, at first.''


    ''But you did eventually give him the package?''


    ''Of course I did! I was here all alone! He pointed a gun at me!''


    ''He what?''; Horatio replied, shocked.


    ''Well, he didn''t point it directly to my face. He just showed me he had a gun under his jacket. And I''m not too fond of any unnecessary drama, nor losing my life because of a package that doesn''t belong to me. I love my job, but not that much, to be honest. So I gave it to him.''


    Horatio stared blankly at Penny. His mouth hung open for several seconds before he found his words again. ''Did you call the police?''


    ''After what I saw? Oh no, no, no. I won''t tell a soul what I saw.''; she shook her head.


    ''But you are telling me.''; said Horatio confused.


    Miss Penny shook her head, once more, vigorously, ''Oh no, no, no, my lips are sealed, completely!'' She added after a pause, ''You know how people gossip around here. They''ll start saying I''m crazy!''


    ''What happened next with this Schrodinger character, Miss Penny? You can trust me. You know that.''


    ''You see that door for the ladies'' restroom?''


    ''Yes.''; Horatio nodded.


    ''That guy went into there with the package and still didn''t come out.'' Penny said with her eyebrows lifted.


    ''What? Did he leave the package in the restroom?


    Penny shook her head: ''I checked. No weirdo, no package, nada. Gone.''


    Horatio rubbed his face: ''What are you telling me?''


    ''That man, Ecke Schrodinger went with the package inside the restroom, never came back after, just disappeared.''; she explained with wide eyes open.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Horatio frowned: ''How long ago?''


    ''About an hour now.''


    Horatio noticed that Miss Penny was nervous about the whole ordeal, but surely it had a logical explanation. Everything has a logical explanation. Things and people don''t disappear from thin air. Horatio went to the restroom to check it himself.


    The restroom was empty, there were no other doors or windows leading out or in, and as Miss Penny said, she didn''t hear or see anyone else enter or even leave. He looked around him again in case something might have been hidden, but he couldn''t find anything. It was empty.


    He returned to Miss Penny: ''There is nothing and no one. Are you sure that no one followed him back or¡­?''


    ''Dr Clock, just leave it. Maybe I saw something that..., Or maybe I didn''t see anything! I don''t know what I saw.''; she said, resigned. ''Please don''t tell Miss Dawn.''


    ''Maybe, take the day off.''; said Horatio while his phone rang. It was Day.


    Day opened the door to let Horatio in and immediately locked it turning the keys twice. He looked like someone who had just woken up from a nightmare but was still stuck there. His wavy hair was sticking out at odd angles, and he wore the same clothes as yesterday.


    ''You look like shit!''


    ''Thank you.'' Day replied without his usual sarcasm.


    ''What is the problem? You made no sense on the phone.'' said Horatio taking off his jacket. ''I thought something terrible happened?''


    Horatio''s face changed from one moment to another: first concern, then alarmed and finally panic.


    Horatio saw a dead body lying in Day''s living room. He felt his stomach tighten, and sweat broke out all over him. He stood there with his jacket hanging in his hand, witnessing a short man, thin and balding with a narrow face, sharp-featured, missing one tooth and his brain slurping out of his skull. ''What the fuck, Day! What the fuck!''


    ''I know!''; shouted Day.


    ''Why the fuck would you kill someone!''; shouted Horatio louder. ''Who is this guy? What the fuck!''


    ''I did nothing! I woke up to this shit!''


    ''What?!''; Horatio was in complete disbelief at how his day was unravelling. First, Miss Penny''s bizarre story and now this. A dead body in the middle of a living room.


    ''I woke up with a dead guy in my living room.''


    ''What?''; Horatio repeated stupidly as if he hadn''t heard correctly. ''A dead person... in your apartment?''


    Before saying anything else, he stared into Day''s eyes for what seemed an eternity. Then suddenly his mouth worked, and words poured out of it: ''Oh Jesus Christ¡­; oh God...;''


    ''Man, something is wrong. Something is so fucking wrong.''; mumbled Day, pacing back and forward, holding his head. ''This isn''t right. This isn''t right. This is fucked up, dude.''


    Horatio took two steps towards him. ''Let''s calm down and think.''


    Day replied in an almost meltdown: ''Fuck, fuck, fuck. What are we going to do?''


    A breeze tugged at Horatio''s skin, the hairs stood on the back of his neck, and he shivered. Something was about to happen, and he could feel it in his gut.

 00:11 - When are you from?

    ''Well, the dead body didn''t just appear from thin air, right?''; said Horatio.


    ''Right.''; confirmed Day with no idea what he was agreeing.


    ''So where could he have come from?''


    ''Huh? I don''t know, dude, he was already there, dead, in my living room with his brains out.''


    Horatio nodded, insightful. ''Okay, why we don''t call the police or something?''


    Day shook his head, clearing away the last traces of sleepiness. ''And tell what? Oh, it is just a dead body that magically appeared in my living room. Dude, nobody is going to believe me!''


    ''But they should,'' Horatio said. ''Right? You didn''t do anything. There shouldn''t be any of your DNA relevant on the body, and where is the crime weapon? Nowhere!''


    ''No way, man. They''re not going to understand what''s happening here.''; said Day: ''I don''t understand what is going on here!''


    ''Maybe if we call the police, we won''t speak with the police. Remember what happened at the lab when we did?''


    ''What happened at the lab? With the con guy? What was his name again?''


    ''Schrodinger. Ecke Schrodinger.''


    ''How do you know his full name?''


    ''Penny met him, but I''ll explain it later.'' Horatio said, hurrying, still focusing his mind on solving this dadaist riddle.


    ''I think I know what we need to do to get rid of our buddy here. Dissolve the body with hydrochloric acid or nitric acid''; suggested Day, suddenly enlighted by his recollection of criminal night podcast.


    ''What is wrong with you?'' asked Horatio, placing his coat over the couch and starting to roll up his sleeve. ''We are going to make the body disappear in thin air.''


    Day stared at him blankly: ''How? I don''t have any oxidiser at home.''


    ''We are going to open a door, throw the body.¡¯ Horatio paused for an instant before continuing, trying to persuade himself with what he was saying: ¡®And when we open it, it will be gone! I hope.''


    ''What the fuck? What?''; said suddenly. Day snapped back to reality. ''Are you insane?'' he asked. ''You want us to throw a body in a room and expect it to disappear like that?''


    ''You''ll see, trust me.''; Horatio grabbed the dead''s man feet and made a sign to Day to hold the arms. ''Let''s drag it to the bathroom!''


    The two men clumsily dragged the dead man in front of the bathroom. Horatio opened the door and pushed the body on its wheel across the tiled floor, leaving a trail of blood and gore.


    ''Now watch!''; said Horatio confidently, closing the door. They waited a couple of minutes and reopened the door. But the body was still there, staining the bathroom floor.


    ''What the fuck, dude? What was the plan? You think you''re Houdini, now?''; said Day, rubbing his nose against his hands smeared in dry blood.


    ''At least we tried.'' Horatio grabbed his phone and dialled the police number, frustrated. He was almost about to bite his nails when he realised and stopped that putting his fingers in his mouth was not very hygienic after moving a dead body.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ''Police Department, how may I help you?''; greeted a sweet voice from the other end of the line.


    ''Hi, this is Horatio Clock. We would like to speak to inspector Ecke Schrondiger.''


    ''Huh, Sir, you are calling an emergency line.''


    ''Schrodinger.''; pronounced Horatio slowly, as if the name was some code. He repeated it twice more, then added: ''Horatio Clock.''


    The woman on the other side seemed to hesitate for just a moment longer than expected but finally said: ''I understood, Sir, but I can''t just transfer your call. You need to report your emergency. And to be honest, I don''t think we have anyone in the police station with that name.''


    Day interrupted Horatio''s conversation by shouting: ''WTL!''


    An automated voice could be heard: ''Please hold the line. Thank you for contacting the Pi WTL department. Your call is important to us. Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday. Until next time we meet.''; the automatic message was interrupted by a young voice: ''Marie-Sue talking, when can I help you?''


    ''Hello Marie-Sue,'' replied Horatio quickly. ''I wonder if you can, this is Horatio Clock. I wanted to speak with Mr Schrodinger, please.''


    The girl hesitated again before replying: ''Mr Schr?dinger isn''t available right now. Could I have your WTL number, please?''


    ''My what?''


    ''Your WTL Number'', she explained patiently. ''It is the nine-digit code which allows you access to the common services offered by the foundation.'' She waited awkwardly while Horatio looked at Day, who was shrugging his shoulder. ''Sir? Are you still with me?''


    ''Can I provide my social security number?'' Horatio asked, not hoping much.


    ''No, Sir, I need the WTL number. It should be on your 3.14 card.''; Marie Sue explained.


    ''I don''t have a WTL number, I''m afraid.''; Horatio tried to explain.


    ''It is like a credit card or maybe one of those little cards they give you at the supermarket. You don''t have it?''


    ''Do you mean a driver''s license?''; asked Horatio.


    ''How did you get this number? Please hold!''; Marie Sue forgot to mute the call, and Horatio and Day could hear everything in the background. ''I have a dude calling me. I don''t know from when. He is not one of us. No. Hum, a candidate? Are you sure? He sounded dumb. So how do I know he is a candidate? He did mention one of the founders'' names. Yeah, sure, here. Do you mind if I take a break? Okay, thanks.''; an older voice, male, picked up the line: ''Hello, with whom am I speaking?''


    ''This is Horatio Clock?''; answered Horatio.


    ''Sir, you shouldn''t be using this number. This is an unauthorised disclosure, with punitive termination.''


    ''I just want to talk to Mr Schrodinger, Ecke Schrodinger! That''s all that I want. Please let us speak to him.''; Horatio almost begged, trying to ignore the threat he had just heard.


    ''Well, sir...''; the man began hesitantly, ''we cannot allow people to use our lines without proper identification. Do you have such a WTL ID?''


    Horatio had been looking down at the ground as he spoke. ''No, I don''t. We only have a dead body that came from nowhere.''


    ''Excuse me?''


    ''We have a dead body in my friend''s living room. We didn''t do anything. It just showed up, like the DNA package you sent us! And then you collected it, today!¡¯; at this point Horatio was shouting: ¡®So again, may I speak with Mr Schrodinger?''


    There was a pause, and the man sighed over the phone before saying: ''Okay, so you guys are trying to get rid of a corpse, well okay, I''ll put you through. Fuck this shit.'' after a long beep, finally, a familiar voice: ''What do you want?''


    ''We need your help, Mr Schrodinger.''; explained Horatio: ''There is a dead body in my friend''s living room.''


    ''I know. So, what?''


    ''Oh good god, finally. Will you help us?''


    ''Yeah yeah, whatever you want.''


    ''Thank you, thank you very much.'' Horatio said gratefully into the phone. ''So what exactly is your plan? Because we tried to dissolve it in thin air by closing it in the bathroom, but it didn''t disappear.''; explained Horatio realising how ridiculous he sounded: ¡®It didn¡¯t work.¡¯


    Schrodinger laughed on the phone for quite a bit. ''Don''t worry, pal. It will vanish sooner or later. No need to do anything. If it doesn''t disappear, it will be gone when your timeline is deleted. Everything is fine. Just enjoy yourself with the time you have left.''


    ''What, I don''t understand.''


    ''Thank you for contacting the Pi WTL department. Your call is important to us. Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday. Until next time we meet.''; the call dropped.

 00:12 - When are you from

    There were days Nona hated her job. The headsets became heavier, the voices on the other side louder and meaner and a constant echo of silent muffling screams in the back of her head. She wanted to scream out, shout back, and call them names, but she couldn''t. She would smile behind the monitor and nod her head. ''Yes, I understand, Sir, yes I can perfectly understand the frustration. Yes, I would be mad as well, but...''; they wouldn''t let her talk, explain, or even try to figure out what was wrong. So she simply agreed. Smiled and said yes until it was time to clock off. She drank the last drop of coffee that tasted funny.


    Almost like time itself. As if it was burned and ashy. Did coffee always taste like this? No, probably not, but the sensation was somehow different, wasn''t it? She turned the desk chair, looking around her home office and couldn''t see Schrodinger. She went to the living room and kitchen and even looked under the bed, and nothing. He didn''t have the habit of leaving the house, at least not without telling her. But she must admit to herself that he is still a cat and will behave like one.


    Nona went to the kitchen. She was feeling peckish and grabbed an apple. A small innocent red apple which Nona gave a massive bite. As soon the juice spread on her tongue she could feel the gag punching her throat. She spat on her sink and held her mouth with both hands. Her heart raced. Was this how it felt when you were about to throw up? It did seem so. Her mouth was infected with the taste of rotten sour flesh with a punch of sweetness that would cling to the back of her tongue. Nona tried to breathe. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Slowly, now.


    It wasn''t the first time this would happen. Nona can''t remember the last time she ate something she would cook, forcing her to purchase delivered food. She opened the almost empty fridge, but there was a forsaken pack of sliced cheese. Nona took one and bite on it carefully. This time it was unavoidable. She threw up on her own feet. A pungent taste of sweet alkaloids as if seasoned with sweet rotten eggs.


    She looked at the mess she did and grabbed a mop, trying to hold her gag.


    Eventually, she spent an hour with her head almost sinking into the toilet, vomiting what she didn''t have. She ended up exhausted, curled in her bathroom, waiting for her stomach to calm down and convincing herself she needed to shower.


    She took her clothes off, a sweater and shorts with two holes and a stain of who-knows-what, and looked at herself naked. Almost as if it was the first time she saw herself. Her face was boring, typical girl next door but with dull grey hair. On her right arm, she had two tattoos. And it felt weird like she didn''t use to have them. The first one, next to her wrist, was a perfect square made with four letters: N P E S


    ''Pens?''; she mumbled to herself. ''Why would I...''; she looked at the second tattoo .159265359, she didn''t remember what it meant. But it felt sad and happy, bittersweet perhaps?


    Both ink marks were small and discrete, but how could she forget. She started to inspect her body. She found a scar on her left side, probably because of her appendicitis. Wait, isn''t it on the right side? But the one that disturbed her the most was the horizontal scar about 10 to 20cm long, just below her bikini line. It was thin but visible, and she had no idea where it came from. What kind of surgery did she get? Why couldn''t she remember? How many times has she done this? What?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ''I''m going crazy'', she whispered to herself, ''this is not me.''


    She turned her shower on hot water and stood in front of the mirror while the steam covered her body. She didn''t realise she couldn''t hear the water splashing. Or the hair standing up behind her neck, nor she understood the dry, overcooked flesh seasoned in sand and ash. Or the smell of intense gas in the air, Zyklon B gas.


    When Nona placed herself under the showerhead, she didn''t notice black particles flying out of her mouth. The silence didn''t disturb her. She tried to relax, feeling the hot water sliding on her skin until her throat was burning. She turned to grab her towel when she saw it. A little girl in what looked like grey-listed pyjamas holding her throat, coughing. Like Nona, she couldn''t breathe.


    Nona fell at the feet of the child, trying to gasp any air, but her eyes, nose and mouth were burning as if inhaling acid. She didn''t understand where those large hands came from. One on her mouth with a wet cloth and the other carrying her out of the bathroom. Her vision was becoming blurry, but she could hear him: ''Hold on, baby, hold on.''; the voice kept repeating. She knew he was lying her on the bed. She knew she was being slapped on her face a couple of times: ''Nona, come on, Nona, please say something. Baby!''


    She was unable to move. It was as if each of her muscles were petrifying. She couldn''t even feel the air passing through her nostrils. Then she felt the fresh touch of peppermint against her lips. Nona really liked the taste of peppermint. The taste was so cooling that eventually, it made her cough grasping air rising down her lungs.


    ''You can''t scare me like that, love of my life. I''m going to have a heart attack one of these days.''; said the voice. A voice that smoothed her in a way that felt like home. ''Let me catch something to wear.''; he said.


    He pushed down her head an oversized sweater: ''You are going to catch a cold.''; as he was helping her get dressed, she noticed his arm with a faded tattoo and the numbers pierced as if by a toddler: .159265359


    And at the wrist, N P E S, just like her.


    Her vision slowly started to focus, and she saw a man with long black hair and golden-yellow eyes sitten on the bed with her. His face was so stern, but his voice was so smooth: ''Breathe baby, just breathe, okay. Don''t worry about the bathroom, I''ll clean it. Okay? Can you lie down for me? I help you.''


    ''When am I?''; she asked in a brief but sudden lucidity.


    ''.502884197.''; he replied, brushing her wet hair off her face. ''But you are also downloading .604241965. We are at 99.8%. Do you understand me, my love?''


    Nona shook her head: ''No.''


    He chuckled: ''Is alright. Don''t worry. I''m not leaving your side anymore. Going to be as clingy as possible.''


    ''I lost my cat, Ecke.''; she mumbled, balancing her head over the pillow.


    Ecke lost it and started to laugh: ''Your cat is here, love of my life.'' He removed his shoes and lay next to the girl who could taste time. ''But we can get a cat if you want. Think Ava would love it.''


    ''I''m so tired.''


    ''I know, you always get fuzzy at the end of a download. In a couple of hours, you''ll feel yourself again.''; Eske pulled Nona against his chest, kissing the top of her head.


    ''Tell me a story.''


    ''You want a story?''


    Nona nodded her hair, placing her arm around his torso.


    ''Do you want to hear the story of the boy who could hear numbers?''


    ''Does it has a happy ending?''


    Ecke smiled and whispered: ''It still has the happiest ending.''

 00:13 - When are you from?

    There was a discrete knock on the door, 1-5-9-2-6-5-3-5-9. The door opened slightly, and a basket with groceries slid in between. Eske grabbed it and whispered: ''Thank you, Marie Sue.'' from the other side, a mumbling reply: ''You''re welcome! Have a nice end of the world!''; and the door closed.


    Eske went to the kitchen and removed his black blazer, rolled his shirt sleeves and tucked his tie inside it. ''Now, where does she keep the apron?''; he said to himself, putting down the groceries when his phone rang.


    Incoming call Penelope Relogio - 159265359. ''Schrodinger, speaking.''; he greeted while finally finding the apron.


    ''Eske. It is me, Penny. Eske, it went to 0.9%.''; she was sulking, on the precipice of a meltdown. ''My fucking Time-DNA went up to 0.9%!''


    ''Hey, hey, calm down, I know. Everything is okay. I sent the WTL number where your doppelganger is to HQ. We are cleaning both TLs. So your T-DNA will go back down to zero,''; he said, trying to reassure her.


    ''What if it''s not enough! And She, or I, I mean, what if this other Penny is like me, and she jumps? And she destroys everything! I can''t lose this timeline! I have a life! I fucking love my life! I have a family, two kids, and a wonderful husband. I have friends! I don''t want to lose anything! Ecke, I can''t lose everything!''


    ''Penny, she is a receptionist for some lab thing and no offence, but she doesn''t look that bright. When she sees the announcement, she will probably spend the last hours with family and friends. And besides, she didn''t receive any communication to join us. Your place is safe. You know that.''


    ''But if she figures it out. I did! Fuck, she is me! I figured out how to fucking travel time!''


    ''How are the downloads?''


    ''98.7%''


    ''Penny, as the founder, I would order you to sit at your desk and calm down. Act business as usual.''


    ''As my friend?''


    ''Get rid of her. You run fast, and you have the training. Get a gun, and just be sure you get out before Nona ends both timelines.''


    ''Did this happen to anyone else? Or am I this unlucky?''


    ''I''ll tell you later at Ava''s party. If you show up, you know the answer.''


    ''Thank you. Thank you for so many things. You and Nona..., I..., Thank you!''


    ''Just go. Don''t make me look bad. If you die, I will be pissed.'' He hung up, and Eske put on a coffee pot and began cooking breakfast. His eyes were glazed over, and he had been working nonstop since they arrived.


    For this timeline, almost three years had passed, at home, not even seven hours. Once they would end here, it would be has going back home after a working day. But it still feels like almost three fucking hard years.


    Not being able to talk to his wife normally and share their days was the hardest, but he was dying for her to wake up. He went through his phone and chose the usual playlist because the golden rule of any Time Travel is to always have an awesome playlist. Then he picked a song by one of their favourite bands. Queen "Love of My Life". Composed by Freddie Mercury and dedicated to his then-girlfriend Mary Austin. The song was track nine on the album A Night at the Opera, released in 1979, the same year he proposed to Nona. This was their song:


    <blockquote>


    Love of my life, you''ve hurt me


    You''ve broken my heart, and now you leave me


    </blockquote>


    Nona woke up and smiled. She mumbled the lyric back while yawning and realising her two socks remained on her feet. It smelled so good, fresh flowery and nutty. Someone was preparing coffee. She walked to the kitchen, and there he was, focused on a pan fry, turning with clumsy mastery what looked like pancakes.


    ''Good morning, love of my life!''; she greeted, leaning against the fridge next to him.


    Eske smiled and replied, singing: ''Can''t you see? Bring it back! Bring it back!''; he stopped when she hid her chuckle with her hands. ''Everyone is a critic!''


    ''You are making breakfast?''; she wondered, a bit surprised.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ''Don''t you remember? You can''t keep anything in your stomach made by this timeline.''; he explained and handed her a plate. ''Here, I hope you like them.''


    Nona gave a bite and immediately a second, moaning: ''So good!''


    ''Where is the chef''s kiss?''


    She looked at him with her mouth completely stuffed. He laughed and turned the music down. He hugged her while she still held the almost empty plate. ''What year did we meet?''


    ''1944.''


    ''What is our timeline?''


    ''The first nine decimal digits of PI.''


    ''My middle name?''


    ''Otto.''


    ''What is the name of our cat?''


    ''We don''t have a cat because you are scared of cats.''


    ''I''m not scared. I''m allergic. How could such a handsome big guy be scared of those fluffy sadistic cute creatures.''; he chuckled at his own joke. ''They are so creepy.'' He hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head: ''Today is...''; this was always the tricky question.


    ''The end of the world!''; she said proudly.


    ''What day is today, baby? Come on, you can do this.''


    There was a heavy silence. Eske could feel her stumbling as she moved her head down. ''Is something important...''; she was struggling.


    ''Very. Is the most important thing we have.''; Eske tried to keep his voice stoic, but this was always the most challenging part. Nona forgets. ''It''s going to be fine. Just give yourself a chance. We did this before.''


    ''Ava.''; the sound of their daughter''s name on her lips made him almost cry with relief. ''It''s her birthday!''


    ''Yes! Nice!''; he held his wife''s face and kissed her: ''Don''t worry about anything. I have already arranged everything. So once we are done, we join the party.''


    ''That sounds exciting.''; she served herself another cup of coffee and asked Eske if he wanted as well.


    ''Yes, please.''


    Nona prepared a second mug and asked: ''Why are you behaving as if you don''t see me since I don''t know when.''


    ''You don''t remember?''


    ''Baby, I''m absorbing two timelines. It is a miracle I can even talk. And it is gross. This timeline tastes like...''


    ''Overcooked steak. You told me.''; Eske smiled, biting a pancake and realising they were dry. How could she eat this?


    ''I would have said shit. But yes, that is correct. Now, what happened?''


    ''You forgot about me.''


    ''Where you, my sexy neighbour?''


    Eske stared at her while sipping his coffee: ''Think harder.''


    ''My sexy roommate?''; she was looking straight into his eyes.


    ''No, not really.''; he said, disappointed. ''We lived in the same house.''


    ''Bestfriend??''


    ''Cat.''


    ''Oh.''; she thought for a moment and repeated in disbelief: ''Cat?''


    ''You saw me as a cat. I think you only saw me or heard me before and during time events. Those happened a lot, by the way. The last ones started even to touch you, and I got some frenetic jump scares.''


    ''A cat?''; Nona asked again.


    ''Yes, and there was no way to get out. I tried everything, greeted every day with our code, Love of my Life, but you wouldn''t sing it back. I tried to seduce you. All my old tricks didn''t work.''


    ''I''m so sorry.''


    ''It''s okay. I''m glad you''re back. And you''re okay. In a few hours, we jump home. Have a nice party with our friends, see Ava and sleep in our bed. That is all that I need. This mattress is awful!''


    ''A cat?''


    ''Love, you got stuck on that one?''; Eske laughed, refilled her coffee, and asked: ''You don''t remember anything from the past three years?''


    ''No.''; she shook her head.


    ''Okay.''; he sighed and continued: ''So you have plans for today? Before blowing up the world?''


    Nona nodded slowly with a sly smile and asked: ''Did you have anything in mind?''


    ''Nothing specific. Why?''


    ''Well, I would love to catch up time with my handsome husband.''; Nona winked at him while her sweater started slowly disintegrating into a cluster of black particles floating around her naked body.


    Eske''s face turned red, and he looked away, biting his lip: ''No. No.''; he protested.


    ''Why?''


    ''We are not doing this again in a timeline ready to disappear at any moment. We are not having an Ava incident again.''


    ''But I want to!''; she said, faking a sad puppy face.


    Eske didn''t know what to do with himself, they did have more than time to have their own private fun, but last time almost cost her life. ''Can''t we have fun at home?''


    Nona looked at him disappointed: ''You are sure? Because I have decided I will spend the rest of my day naked, not sure about you.''


    ''You''re kidding.''


    ''No.''


    ''Come on, that is so unfair.''


    She shrugged at him, walking to the bedroom.

 00:14 - When are you from?

    <blockquote>


    Chaos theory states that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, interconnection, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization. The butterfly effect, an underlying principle of chaos, describes how a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state (meaning that there is sensitive dependence on initial conditions). A metaphor for this behavior is that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas.


    </blockquote>


    Penny found the office building quite quickly. She knew the street. Penny recognized the bistro shop right on the left side. She used to be that Penny. A bored woman with a tedious job and no prospects in life. And one day, everything changed. And she was not ready to let go of all she had conquered. To accept that all she had worked so hard for would vanish because her self-past still existed. No, there would be no copy of herself threatening to corrupt her perfect world. Penny needed to kill Penny.


    She was at the main gate when she crossed with a man with wavy hair holding a yellow gallon: ''Penny?''


    ''Hi.''; she mumbled, not recognizing him. Who was it?


    ''Weren''t you just at the front desk, now?'' He asked as he passed by her, then looked back.


    ''I came to take fresh air.''; she said, smiling awkwardly.


    He laughed and took out his phone from his pocket. ''You''re back to smoking? Is that it?''


    She used to, yes. She used to smoke almost a pack per day. Did this Penny quit? ''Telling myself I''ll quit after the new year.''; and chuckled.


    ''Well, you know what they say...,'' he smiled


    ''What do they say?''


    ''It''s time for me to go now.''; he said, embarrassed. ''Need to take this acid home, have some... rat infestation. See you later.''


    Penny couldn''t shake away the strange feeling in her gut. There was something wrong with that man. She reminded herself that this timeline would be deleted soon, and all types of anomalies, mandala effect, crossing events, and corrupted data would just disappear and turn into zeros and ones.


    She entered the building and as soon she gave two steps she saw her. It was like seeing herself in a mirror. A young redhead woman pretending to be cheerful, happy, and friendly when in truth, she was fighting a crippling depression and gathering a generous sum in credit card debt. That was her, a sad, lonely person. But now, she would take her out of her misery.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    She approached the counter: ''Hi.''


    ''Hi, how may I help you?''; said the receptionist distracted. And when she raised her head, she gasped, revealing an expression of pure terror on her face.


    ''Could you follow me? We need to talk.''


    ''I can''t. I''m working. I...''; she looked around as if she was looking for someone to confirm she did not see things that didn''t exist.


    Penny placed her gun on the balcony: ''You don''t have much of a choice.''


    ''What is with everyone showing me their gun lately!''


    ''Get out of the counter, and follow me. I''m trying to be nice!''; Penny threatened.


    The receptionist raised her hands, moving along with the gun pointed at her.


    Penny walked behind her and followed her down the corridor until she reached a small room where she stood next to the door. The girl hesitated but finally opened the door and stepped inside. ''Why are you doing this?''


    ''Because you want to die, and I want to live. So let me help you get your wish. You will not feel anything, I promise.''


    They both stared at each other. One with her hands raised above her head, the other holding a gun. ''Why?''


    Penny lowered the gun for a moment and wetted her lips: ''There is a timeline of an almost perfect world. There are no wars, no hunger. We learned from human past mistakes and how to trick death and keep our cemeteries almost empty. The whole world behaves as neighbours. But it is hard work to keep our world clean from any corruption. We must clean any cluster that could destroy our almost perfect Utopia.''; Penny took a second: ''We, I mean me, are married. His name is Robert. We have two adorable children. We named them after the founders. Our house is really nice, very cosy. And we love our job. It is hard and tiring. Eske has a very special temper, but he is a good guy. It is a perfect life. One that can only be dreamed of, but real.''


    ''What does it has to do with me? I''m not gonna steal your life! I don''t want it.''


    ''Mathematics. The more of us, the more probability of creating new repeated, almost copied timelines. The more timelines created, the bigger the risk of tangling our reality. One multiplied by zero equals zero. No chance of copying a new timeline. But multiply by one equals one, and two equals two. No citizen of Pi can have more than zero. We can''t be a threat to our own reality. Is that simple.''


    Penny put her hand on the receptionist''s shoulder: ''Don''t worry about it, you won''t feel anything. It would be like it never happened.''


    The girl shook her head: ''No! No, I''m not a number!''


    ''Yes, you are.''; Penny grabbed the gun tighter, pointing to the other Penny''s head: ''Even chaos is made of patterns and numbers!''


    Her eyes were wide open. Her mouth was agape. ''Please, don''t. I don''t want to die!''


    Penny squeezed the gun''s trigger, releasing the firing pin, and moved forward. While the firing pin strikes the primer, exploding. The other Penny jumps towards her. Meantime, the spark from the primer ignites the gunpowder. The two redheads fall against the door, and the gun''s gas converted from the burning powder rapidly expands in the cartridge, ricocheting into the wall.


    Both women disappeared behind the door while a loud siren could be heard in every corner of the world: ''Greetings, citizens of the world. I''m Chloe, speaking on behalf of Pi timeline. Don''t be afraid.''

 00:15 - When are you from?

    She always fell asleep after, and Eske could see the sheets drawing the curve of her body. It was one of the most beautiful sights for him. His fingers were in her hair, playing with it as she slept on top of him. Her head rested against his chest, making him feel safe and warm. A sense of peace, like a lullaby composed by the number nine.


    He would have loved to hear it all day long alongside the sight of Nona''s face, which made his heart beat faster each time, as if it was the first time they were alone together.


    The thought gave him an oddly pleasant feeling, a kind of warmth spread through his entire being, making every part of himself tingle with delight. But now Nona had to wake up and get ready for the end of the world.


    ''Meow.''; he mimicked a cat jesting: ''Baby,''


    She moaned, protesting.


    ''Nona, my love, it''s time to get ready.''


    She woke up from sleep, kissing him softly and said, ''I''m awake.''; kissed him more deeply than before. She didn''t want to leave this bed, and neither did Eske. He couldn''t take his eyes off her lips or stop feeling her soft hands entwined around his neck. ''It tastes like peppermint.''


    Eske chuckled: ''You say that each time.''; he smiled at her teasingly. And even though there was nothing new about their conversation, it still seemed special to him. How wonderful life could be when you''re in love even after all this time. ''Don''t look at me like that. We really need to get out of bed.''


    Her lip pouted, which was enough to make Eske feel his heart was about to burst. He wanted to kiss her again. To make love to Nona until both of them forget everything except how good it feels to be together. They lay side by side, looking into each other''s eyes. ''Don''t do that to me. Come on, get up.''; he said, patting her leg.


    ''You are cruel, Mr Eske Otto Schrodinger.''; she said, leaving the bed.


    ''Hey, Nona!''; he called after her.


    She turned to face him. ''Yes?''


    ''I love you.'';


    She blushed, smiling sweetly, and replied: ''And I love you.'';


    As she walked away from the bed, her naked skin was covered by black particles that turned into a light fabric revealing setim-liked leggings covered by a transparent drapped coat. She almost looked like a renascent goddess painting. At this moment, Eske felt as if he''d been granted a miracle. A vision of her standing here in front of him made him feel as if he had found a piece of heaven even though he didn''t believe in god.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    He sat up and tried not to stare too much at her bare feet. She was breathtaking. He gathered his clothes and dressed quickly, trying to ignore the fact that he could smell her perfume lingering on his shirt.


    ''Are you ready, my love?''; she asked.


    ''Yeah.''; he answered, holding her hand. He took her wedding ring from the bed table and placed it on her annular finger. He grabbed her by the wrist, turning it slowly so she could see her tattoos: ''This is our address, 1-5-9-2-6-5-3-5-9. Nona?''


    ''1-5-9-2-6-5-3-5-9''; she repeated.


    ''These are our initials. E.S. and N.P., so you don''t forget where home is.''


    ''Eske Schrodinger and Nona Perenna.''; she said, giving him a confirmation smile. ''I''ll be fine, my love.''


    ''Wedding ring?''


    ''Love of my life, I got this. Trust me.''


    ''Come back home safe. I''m not asking.''; Eske whispered as he kissed her hand.


    ''I will.''; she promised, replying to him back with another kiss. Then she opened the windows, summoning a white hover from her black particles. She stood over the gadget, and as if a floating skateboard, Nona flew directly to the city''s heart.


    At that moment, from every screen, stream, podcast, and radio, a message was heard from all around the world: ''Greetings, citizens of the world. I''m Chloe, speaking on behalf of Pi timeline. Don''t be afraid.''; an immaculate young face appeared on every device worldwide, speaking in each language correspondent of its location.


    ''Your timeline has been selected to be eliminated. Your governmental choices, lack of mutual respect, and disinterest in protecting your world and preserving a future for your children have made your reality an eligible danger to our world. Here at Pi, we work hard to give a better world to all our citizens. With no countries, religion, greed or hunger. We are children of a healthy planet Earth. We are the dream that came true. We regret that you have not felt the righteousness to protect what is most needed - time. The deletion of .604241965 will be completed within the next hour. The only thing we can assure you of is that there will be no pain. There will be no regret. Your loss will be clean. Many of you are in other timelines, and all you have built in this reality will be archived and preserved in our database. Nothing is really lost. Enjoy your last moments with those you love the most. Thank you for your sacrifice. Until we meet next time.'' The screen repeated the message, and the stoic staged voice could be heard under the silent scream of a time-space vortex swallowing the world slowly. At the same time, tornados, thunders and earthquakes ravaged the globe in each corner.


    It was something truly beautiful to be seen. Eske opened a door and left .604241965 behind. With the promise his wife will not miss their daughter''s birthday party.

 01:01 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    The door closed behind Eske, and he was back to .159265359, Pi. He walked among a crowd of time travellers who had just returned from one of the deleted timelines. The enormous open space was reminiscent of airport wards at the point of arrival and departure, filled with doors and clocks aligned against the walls. Today those doors were more dedicated to those arriving than to those departing. Small groups of stewardesses welcomed new passengers to Pi, stepping into this timeline for the first time and orienting them on how to start a brand new life in this new utopic world.


    Anyone could be a Time Traveler, but only a few could be accepted, those whose time footprint would be below 0.9%, the called T-DNA. In other words, there would be only one version of themselves. You could travel thousands and thousands of timelines, but there would be only one version of them. And to preserve those unique humans, Pi had open doors. But, the selection was rigorous and confidential. No harm from outside could stain the ecosystem of Pi. Any misstep could collapse its foundation and reality. Eske and Nona worked too hard to make this almost perfect world.


    Eske walked down the hallways, his hands deep inside his pockets, inspecting all his surroundings. Everything went as smoothly as they had planned. No mission is easy, but somehow everything has been done well enough. Nona will come back safely. He felt excited and right on time for their little girl''s birthday.


    Eske took the elevator to the HQ Control room, where his team was based, and all magic happened. As soon the elevator doors opened, he could feel it, like a wave crashing against him. It wasn''t the same feeling that Nona gave off when she would forget. This was different. This was something else entirely. But before long, when his eyes stumble on the monitor flashing all passengers from the world timeline .604241965 and WTL .502884197 as green only, traces of both timeline were displayed deleted only three names remained red.


    ''Marie Sue?''; called Eske with his eyes locked on the screen.


    ''Mr Schrodinger, I think we should activate the SCA.''; she said in a trembling voice. A short, chubby lady with a round face. Marie Sue was one of the first residents to join the Pi timeline and still couldn''t find it in her to call him by his first name.


    ''It''s Ava''s birthday, and I don''t want to call upon a state of calamity alert yet.'' Nona''s picture with a red border and the word error: T-DNA unreachable flashing over.


    ''Penny is missing too.''; she added, expecting him to explode at any time now.


    ''Does Robert knows?''


    ''Not yet.''Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ''Keep it like this.''; Eske was on auto-pilot, not realizing yet what the words error: T-DNA unreachable: ''Who is on nightshift?''


    ''Oh, it is Vihaan. He''ll start in two hours, anything more or less.''; said Mare-Sue twisting her fingers.


    ''Okay, prepare a report for him. If there is no news from Nona or Penny, start the SCA. I want all decimals to be scanned and sent to Travellers for each WTL in the record. We need to know if anyone has changed anything since yesterday morning.''; Eske paused. What did this mean? Did she get lost again with no memory? Would Penny be with her?


    ''Mr Schrodinger, are you sure? Two hours might be a very long time for both of them.''


    ''We don''t have much choice, do we? I have to go now, telling a little girl her mother will miss her party again.''; replied Eske looking away from the monitor and into the distance, trying to focus on something else.


    He turned around and headed towards the exit, passing through the corridor full of people dressed from different timelines. An old man was wearing a blue coat with white stripes. A young boy with a beret holding a book and reading while walking down the hallway. An elderly lady sitting next to a window, staring out the arrivals monitor.


    Eske knew each of them, their faces, and their names, when they were initially formed. In a world of two billion people, each resident was hand-picked by him and Nona. They were the founders of Earth-3.14, also known as WTL: .159265359.


    Eske walked with hasty feet down to the parking lot. He got his keys out of his pocket and pressed the button on his car remote. A beeping sound was heard from a black 1981 DeLorean DMC-12. Until this day, Eske has no idea where the vehicle came from. But it was his wife''s wedding gift, and he never wanted or imagined having any other car.


    Eske sat on the front seat behind the wheel, placed the key on the engine and meltdown. He kicked the wheel as hard as he could and shouted his lungs off until he finally hit his head against the wheel''s rubber and cried his heart out.


    He stopped when his phone rang. It was Ava. He cleared his throat, rubbed his hands on his face to dry out the tears and picked up the call: ''Hey, sweety!''


    ''Daddy, did you guys arrive?''


    ''Yes, I''m on my way, sweetheart. Hum, mummy is a bit late.''


    ''But she promised. She said she had a surprise for me! A huge one!''


    ''I know, sweetheart, but you know what she does is for all of us. Especially for you, baby girl, don''t be mad at her, please.''


    ''But I wanted her to see me in my costume.''


    ''Oh, you are in a costume? What happened to the dress mummy picked up with you? You don''t like it anymore?''; Eske was trying really hard to sound his everyday self.


    ''I do, but I don''t feel it today.'' Eske laughed, remembering about the last time Ava went to school without a proper outfit. She had worn a pink tuxedo, which made her stand out amongst the rest of the children. That day everyone looked at her strangely because they thought she was some kind of a superhero, just like her mum. ''Oh! And Tommy''s dad is asking if his mum is with you.''


    Eske felt his spine crippling to her last question: ''Tell Robert that Penny is with mummy. So they will both run late.''


    ''Oh crap!''


    ''Language!''


    ''Not even on my birthday?''


    ''Sweetheart, daddy is going to hang up. I will just stop at home, pick up your cake, and meet you there, okay?'' Eske smiled.


    ''Okay, bye, Daddy.''; Eske hung up the phone and stared blankly ahead of him. He sighed deeply, turned the engine and tried to concentrate on driving. ''This isn''t good.''


    He turned the lights on an empty house. It was immaculately cleaned. Nona liked to keep the place neat and clean. The birthday cake was on the fridge, and he thought about taking a real quick shower. Hoping the HQ control team would call him informing of Nona''s arrival.


    He climbed the stairs to their room. Nothing was out of place. It was exactly how they left this morning, but it still felt like three years ago. Upon entering the bathroom, he saw it. Nona''s big surprise party. A lovely basket with blue and pink balloons attached to it and inside there was an envelope and a rectangular box. Outside the envelope was written "Surprise! For both loves of my life!" and a quick drawing of a happy face.


    Eske looked at the box. His hands were shaking while he opened it. Inside was a room key and a thin, plastic stick with two strips and a digital marker displaying "pregnant". He understood why Nona didn''t tell him. She wanted to surprise Ava, who had been asking for a little brother or sister. She didn''t tell him either because she knew he would cancel any mission outside their timeline.


    Nona was lost in Time with his child. How many times did they say that they wanted another baby? And now, here it was, she was pregnant. He couldn''t help himself from crying.


    Eske closed the door behind him, leaned against the wall, and took his phone: ''Hey Robert? We need to talk. We have a new Ava incident.''

 01:02 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    Let me guess. You are confused. Yeah, I know the feeling. It takes anyone quite a bit to understand what the fuck is going on. And believe me, I''m trying to make your life easy, but it is not that type of story. But then again, we''re just making it up as we go along.


    Now, for me to explain to you what or how Pi became a reality, I have to tell you another story besides the story of the girl who could taste time. Come on, don''t do the rolling eyes. It is a good story. It is my wife''s and daughter''s favourite story. For me, not that much. It still hurts, like any other trauma, I guess.


    The story of the boy who could hear numbers. My story. The guy sitten on the floor of the bathroom crying with a key and a pee stick in his hand. Hi, I''m Eske Otto Schrodinger, born in 1929 at Echternach. I am trying to remember the day or the month, but I can''t. Marie Sue insists I should be a Scorpio, so I''ll let you do the math.


    I had a happy childhood living with my parents in my grand-fathers house. A big house, with a big family, life was good. Really good. My most fond memory was of my grandpa and me talking about the art collection that he had all around our house''s wall on display.


    Expensive pieces of art that, in most timelines, would be found in museums. And I can tell you for sure that some of those pieces don''t exist anywhen else besides that specific timeline.


    There was a huge one in my grandfather''s study room that I was obsessed with as a child. It was called The Wheel of Time by Sandro Boticelli. I couldn''t comprehend, at the time, the title because the painting was about three women embracing each other. There was no clock or any reference to time. But if you looked better, two sisters were protecting the middle one as if their life depended on it.


    The smile of the middle sister with flowers in her grey hair had me haunted. It was a genuine smile with a hefty weight of pain. And as a child, I couldn''t understand. My grandpa Otto explained to me they represented the Parcae sisters and controlled the metaphorical thread of life of every mortal and immortal from birth to death. Even the gods feared them, his words.


    Decima measured the thread of life. Morta, who cut the rope of life and chose the manner of a person''s death, and finally, Nona, who spun the thread of life. With a strange, painful smile, the girl in the middle stood there between her two sisters, pregnant. And I will never forget what he told me that day. ''At the end of the story, life doesn''t start at one or zero. Life starts when it thinks it is about to end.''


    The number nine, from all other numbers, was an orchestra of the best sounds a human being could listen to. A baby''s coo, the many sounds of water, the swish sound of a ball hitting a net, a child''s very first words, the sound of rain hitting the window and finally, the words ''I do''. Number nine sounded like a crowd made of pure human life. And from all numbers, nine was my favourite.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    I am the boy who can hear numbers. Nobody, at the time, made much of it. What good could it be to listen to random sounds to numbers? Rambling things that even I couldn''t understand until the day it did. My name was Eske Otto Schrodinger. I was the firstborn of Esther and Joshua Schrodinger, and I was supposed to die in 1944 at the age of 18. With a striped listed grey pyjama, my head was shaved and deprived of my name to be replaced by the number 159265359. Yeah, I didn''t choose this tattoo. I didn''t choose any of these. But here we are, so buckle up. It will soon make all sense, I promise.


    <hr>


    ''Mum, stop it stings!''


    ''Eske, stop! Please, behave. Otherwise, I will need to cut your hair.''; Esther was barely holding her tears while dropping bleach on her boy''s head. Long black locks, a beautiful feature too dangerous to be seen by the National Socialist German Workers'' Party eyes.


    ''Mum, it is burning my scalp. Please stop.''; Eske was on his knee with his head over the bathtub. He turned his yellow-golden eyes to her: ''Please, mother, stop. I don''t want to look like them.''


    ''We have to cut it then.''; his mother cleaned her tears. ''You look too much like a...''; she couldn''t even say it.


    ''A jew? ''; Eske held his mother''s hand. It was bizarre and surreal that such a tiny word had such weight. A word for him meant nothing but was inherited by his mother. Eske, twelve years, didn''t believe in god or practice any religious rituals whatsoever, and neither did his parents. But their names were enough to be pointed out as threats to the new nation.


    It has been two months since his grandparent contacted the Portuguese embassy. Although they were coated by fascism, some politics were turning a blind eye to the Jewish people entering the country and leaving for other safer destinations. Documentation that would save their life at a high price. Most of his grandfather''s art pieces were sold at the lowest price possible before the Nazis could confiscate them.


    She looked into his face and saw how he tried to smile as if this wasn''t painful. As if this weren''t something terrible. She wanted to make him feel better, but it seemed impossible.


    And so she said: ''I am sorry.'' And left the bathroom.


    All his family was on edge, rumours of people being forced to take the train to an unknown destination. That is what happens when you are marked as an enemy. The Gestapo would come to collect their passports and label them accordingly. Then they will be sent away without knowing where. If one did not pay attention, there was no way to avoid it. More rumours arrived in the past days about special camps built up north, where Jews from all around Europe were taken. Rumours that Eske heard in passing through his father''s words at dinner.


    The Schrodinger''s were advised to stay in their properties, but they knew it was a matter of time. Eske took the scissors and cut his hair as short as he could, and it took him a while to recognise the boy in the mirror. The boy barely could breathe, as if his chest was trapped in wire. Suddenly, his father opened the bathroom door, and with no explication, he ordered: ''Hide!''


    ''What?''


    ''The attics now!''


    But it was too late. The sound of heavy boots invaded the downstairs floor, screams and shouts mixed with commands. There was no real place to hide. Leaving the bathroom to go to the attic would be made Eske step on the wooden floor and be seen from downstairs. The window of the bathroom was too small for him to leave. There was no place he could hide. And as he realised it, heavy steps were climbing the stairs.


    Eske was supposed to die in 1944 in Neuengamme Camp.


    But as you guessed, I didn¡¯t.

 01:03 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    I think you have seen enough documentaries to know what happened next. I could recommend you a few if you want, but it is pretty much everywhere or whenever. There was no place to hide, so like my parents, I got caught.


    Each of us got on a different train, and I never saw them again since that day. The only thing I''m sure of is, at least on my first timeline, they didn''t survive. I searched for them in others, but in some, they never even existed. So, I have no idea if things could have been different for them.


    Like an idiot, I was trapped in the bathroom, beaten, handcuffed and taken to Neuengamme Camp. It wasn''t a long trip, and it wasn''t pleasant either. We were treated as cattle. And I''m being nice.


    Once I arrived, I was put in a barrack with some other kids. It was cramped, and there was not enough bed for everyone or floor and no sanitary accommodations whatsoever. A five-star nazi-ritz. Bad joke, I know.


    But then we were told that this was our new and last home. We had no way out, only by the chimney. It didn''t take us long to understand what they meant. So there was no use for hope. No escape from this nightmare. That''s what they did to all of us, to me.


    Eske walked the camp with a bucket and a mop toward the research lab facilities. He liked to work on the labs building. It was the camp''s cleanest area and the one with fewer soldiers torching prisoners. People with white coats were nicer, or so he thought.


    It seemed like Eske knew how to do his job well. He kept a very low profile while trying hard to get through each day without being noticed by the guards. One of the gate guards liked to play the Sodoku games. A short chubby man who would always start his shift every morning with a newspaper. Just for the small pleasure of scribbling over the puzzle. But when he was stuck, he would call Eske to help resolve the mystery of numbers. He would clear each square in less than a minute with all the correct numbers in the proper order.


    ''I still don''t know how you do this.''; the guard would say each time. Eske was always expecting some sort of reward. Clean water, bread or even half a potato but nothing. Just kind words that still didn''t fill his belly.


    ''What is going on here?''; a man with a white coat stopped next to the guard and Eske, who tried to see his way out.


    ''This boy can solve this damn puzzle in seconds!''; he said, showing the man the newspaper. ''Isn''t that impressive?''


    He turned, looking at the boy trying to hide behind a mop and bucket, and asked: ''You did this?''


    ''It is quite easy.''


    ''How?''


    Eske swallowed dry. How could he say the numbers sang to him, pointing directions, sounds and stories? ''I can hear numbers.''; he mumbled.


    ''You do?''; he grabbed Eske''s arm and pointed to his mark: ''What does it tell you?''


    He didn''t want to say. His numbers hide a secret passage, a sound of peace and warmth. Something new, in something old, with something borrowed. The chirring of birds, the laughter of a child and her voice. ''Good morning, love of my life!''; the soft voice of hope and a dream that hasn''t been wished for yet. ''Is just static.''; he lied.


    ''Pity, the Professor could have been interested in you.''; he said, releasing his arm.


    ''Please excuse me, I still have the officers restroom to clean.''; he bowed his head and tried to hast his step when the man called him.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ''Boy!''


    ''Umm, yes?''


    ''Tomorrow morning, present yourself to the lab.'' Eske understood it was not a request but an order.


    Eske couldn''t sleep that night, not because his stomach was empty or the floor was full of gravel, dirt or piss. But a pierce in his gut told him that he would never leave the laboratory hereafter. He would die like a lab rat, thrown into the furnace and swiped as ashes. Eske could feel something strange inside himself, fear. That same feeling when you''re falling down an endless pit with no way up except for the hole itself. He had been a prisoner in the camp for three years, maybe four years, but he had never felt this terror. Never!


    He felt cold, colder than ever before. The only thing that kept him from crying out loud was his mother''s last words to him, ''I''m sorry.'' she whispered as she had her hand tangled in his. He knew he would die, but he was not sure why. Or even if it matters.


    First thing in the morning, he was escorted to an office in the main building. A man with a white coat was waiting for him, looking outside the ample windows, showing men and women carrying buckets of metal. The man seemed entertained with the suffering of others. Nothing good could come of it.


    ''Sit.''; the man ordered. His voice sounded calm and gentle.


    Eske sat on the only chair he could see, with a breakfast plate in front of him. Buttery omelette, cheese, oatmeal covered with honey, cinnamon, and a glass of orange. Eske could feel his mouth almost drooling.


    ''How do you take your tea?''; asked the doctor.


    Eske looked at his hands. They were shaking so hard. He didn''t know what to say. His heart was pounding so loudly in his chest that he thought the man heard it. ''Simple.''; he dared to answer.


    The doctor nodded, smiling kindly.


    ''Very well.'' Then the man took out a small black box and opened its lid. Inside there was a collection of tea bags.


    ''Now,'' said the man, taking one of the cups and pouring some liquid into it. He handed it to Eske, who drank it immediately without hesitation. ''You can eat. I requested that breakfast, especially for you.''


    His eyes widened: ''Thank you.'' The professor smiled again but only spoke once Eske finished eating all the food.


    When Eske swallowed the last bit, the man asked: ''Better?'' asked the man, looking at his face.


    ''Yes,'' answered Eske.


    The professor put away the cup: ''So, let''s start from the beginning. What is your name?''


    Eske started to recite: ''159265359''


    ''Your name, boy.''


    ''Eske.''; he replied.


    ''Eske what?''


    ''Esk... esk-esk'', he repeated, trying to pronounce his own name properly. ''Eske Otto Schrodinger.''


    The man sighed. ''Ahh yes, very good.''; said the professor while scribbling in a folder with the label Edenreich.


    ''When were you born?''


    Eske hesitated. ''Fourteen years ago.''


    ''Very good, very good.''; the man looked at him with a stern hazel gaze and asked: ''Do you know when are you from?''


    ''You mean where?''


    The doctor closed the file and placed it on top of the desk. ''That''s okay.''; he paused for a moment. ''You are an extraordinary boy Eske, and I want to have some experiences with you. What do you think?''


    ''What experience?''


    ''Our future, our past, our present and our death.''; the man smiled and added: ''I believe you can see it all.''


    ''I can''t.''; Eske shook his head, regretting suddenly to have eaten so much. Feeling as if making a pact with the devil. ''I just hear numbers, is just like pieces of sounds all mixed up.''


    ''Don''t worry, I''ll help you. I will train your earring, what do you say? Will you help me to map time?''; the man presented the broad smile of a visionary, but something wasn''t right. Something was off. Eske couldn''t say what exactly. But it was being craved in his bones.


    ''Are you going to use my body as a guinea pig?''


    ''No!'' exclaimed the man, startled by the question. ''You are going to like it. Three meals a day, your own room, and fun little exercises. Is better than cleaning german shit.''


    ''You are not german?''


    ''Of course not. Do I look german?''


    ''I don''t know.''; Eske frowned.


    ''Well, Eske, you are an exceptional boy, and I give you that.'' Eske nodded slowly, knowing what the man meant. ''But you need to trust me. You and I will save the world. We''ll do great things together.''


    Eske tried to get up, but the man held him back. ''Stay seated, please. My turn to present me properly.''; and as the man''s lips moved in slow motion, a crawling, rippling cold drop on Eske''s spine. He didn''t know why at the time.


    ''My name is Delbert Day Whiterabbit. Nice to meet you, Schrodinger.''

 01:04 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    The deal with the devil, Professor Whiterabbit, paid off, sort of. Eske now had a room, with no windows, of course. But in the concentration camp, compared to his previous situation, it wasn''t that bad.


    Of course, it wasn''t really a room but more of a clean white cell with a strong smell of bleach and eugenol. The three meals a day were included, and he could even shower with generic laundry soap once a day. Looking back to the last years in Neuengamme Camp, he almost felt he was living the big life until the experiments started.


    There were rumours around the camp that human experimentation was being performed on large numbers of prisoners, even children, but mostly Jews from across Europe. Prisoners were forced into participating, and there was no real consent. Typically, the experiments resulted in death, trauma, illness, shortening of life, disfigurement, or permanent disability. True medical carnage. That Eske would not be able to describe until this day. However, he had the notion that Professor Whiterabbit was being very considerate with his first examination.


    Every morning, Professor Whiterabbit would perform a complete examination of blood, urine, and all kinds of tests implicating fluids. Also, Ecke''s heart rate, temperature, respiration and others like Electroconvulsive therapy just to stimulate his young, strong mind, as per the professor''s words. ¡®It doesn''t feel so bad, does it?¡¯


    The last one must have been his favourite. Eske would be closed inside an empty white room. No windows, no desk, chair, or bed, nothing. Only white light cancelling any type of shadow. The exaggerated brightness would burn his yellowish eyes, and the pitless silence would turn into screeching tinnitus.


    Eske never knew how long he was incarcerated in that room. Sometimes minutes, hours, maybe days. He had no idea. He couldn''t understand the objective of this exercise. There was no sound, nothing he could distract his mind with, only his heartbeat, his throat swallowing saliva or the faint blink of his eyes. His mind was drowned in deep sensory deprivation and complete isolation. He was abandoned by himself.


    Eske would begin not to feel himself as if he was once more deprived of his name and story. Who was he before the war? Would he lose his notion of self and personal identity? But it didn''t make sense to Eske. He was here because he was the boy who could hear numbers. Where are the numbers? There was nothing. Just emptiness. As if zeros were floating behind an invisible veil.


    For now.


    <blockquote>


    Wake up, child


    Pay attention


    </blockquote>


    It took at least a year for him to hear the first number. A sound, a zero decibels. A cute silence crawling on the empty walls. It lasted only for a second but was all Eske needed to understand.


    <blockquote>


    Come on, wake up


    Wake up, love


    </blockquote>


    Everything was made of numbers!


    The beginning of all is unity. Unity is a cause of indefinite duality as a matter. Both unity and endless duality are sources of the numbers. One, two, three and others, each makes a dot or more.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    The points are proceeding from numbers. Then the lines, from the points. From the lines, we go to plane figures. triangle, square, pentagons, and hexagons, like stars turning into nova. And from the plane are volumetric figures. From them, we find acceptable volumetric solids, in which we find the four elements. Those are, at first sight, fire, water, earth, and air. Mixing their atoms, those elements that are moving and changing constantly. They give rise to the universe, inspired, intelligent, and spherical, a burning delight source of life, our sun. Sprouting life, the flesh of the ego. And the ego finds refuge in a conscience brain, made of points, lines, shapes and volumetry. Everything is made of numbers. What would happen if a boy could hear numbers? All the numbers!


    <blockquote>


    We should make the night


    But see your little lights alive


    </blockquote>


    The answer is simple, an orchestra played by the universe itself.


    Suddenly the room was no longer silent or even white. An aberration of colours, equations, and long infinite numbers ran in front of Eske''s eyes. He heard whispers, callings, and sounds he had never heard before. Resolution of equations impossible to resolve. Complex web lines looked like a three-dimensional map he couldn''t understand. It was the loudest orchestra he had ever heard in his life.


    He found himself lost among numbers. Numbers that were written in different languages and other unknown ones. He saw familiar symbols, but they meant something else, something not unveiled yet. All these numbers were connected through the same string. So many numbers. Professor Whiterabbit had given him the key to unlocking the mystery of the cosmos infinity.


    The answer to everything. And it was magnificent.


    In this hurricane of colours, music, voices and knowledge, Eske, with only 16 years, understood this knowledge was too dangerous to be in the hands of his fascist captors. He didn¡¯t trust anyone, not even Whiterabbit.


    In the following days, weeks, perhaps even months, the morning examination routine became harder and harder for Eske to pretend he hadn''t heard something. The professor must have started to suspect his behaviour, and his perks were reduced to one meal a day, no more soap and longer sessions of Electroconvulsive therapy that would curl the hair on his arms.


    He would return to his room with his head burned on his temples and a pounding headache. He started to become exhausted with no way to silence the numbers. He felt utterly overwhelmed and ready to crack at any second until one day, he looked at his numbers.


    The one tattoed on his arms as if a toddler drew those and heard a voice. Her voice was louder than any other number and would silence them softly.


    <blockquote>


    ''1944.''


    </blockquote>


    Her voice was smooth, with a slight tone of sleepiness. Eske liked it. But she didn¡¯t make any sense.


    <blockquote>


    ''The first nine decimal digits of PI.''


    </blockquote>


    She was saying random things.


    <blockquote>


    ''Otto.''


    </blockquote>


    ''What?''; he mumbled, looking closer at his arm.


    <blockquote>


    ''We don''t have a cat because you are scared of cats.''


    </blockquote>


    ''I''m not scared of cats!''; he didn''t realise he was talking alone to his arm.


    <blockquote>


    ''The end of the world!''


    </blockquote>


    Eske lay down over his pillow and kept staring at his arm, hearing the voice saying arbitrary little things. But something always came back, something she would repeat over and over again: ''The end of the world.''


    Strangely he found it relaxing hearing her voicing that until his eyes were heavier than all the answers and all the reasons of the universe.

 01:05 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    Eske had his arms tied behind his back with a large rope tied to his wrists and passed over a hook on the roof. He was hanging from his arms, with his feet barely touching the ground. The pain was intense and vivid. And he could feel his shoulders almost dislocating. His full-weight body was supported by the extended and internally rotated shoulder sockets. It hurt so much that it made him want to cry out in agony, but Eske did not allow himself this luxury.


    It has been almost two years since Eske was once again treated like any other prisoner, with a daily dose of torture and beating up. He was each time left almost drowning in his own blood. Each piece of his body shook violently in tremors, exhausted from the pain. And each time, Professor Whiterabbit would join him at his cell and ask:


    ''Are you ready to talk, boy?''


    The answer was always no. But even when Eske wanted nothing more than to die, when he felt as if there were no strength or will left within him. When every thought in his head seemed to be an attempt to escape reality itself, he knew what to say: ''Fuck off, asshole!''


    The professor smirked: ''What a pity.'' He looked away for a moment, thinking. Then turned around and said, looking straight into Eske''s eye:


    ''You know I am not going to kill you. I''m going to keep you alive in pure agonising misery, and perhaps, one day, I''ll be nice once you decide to talk to me.''


    ''Fuck off, asshole.''; whispered Eske and falling unconscious. His mind still hung in limbo between consciousness and death, but Eske''s eyes opened wide upon seeing the figure of a cat. There was no one in the cell. Just him and the little black pet staring right into Eske''s face. The cat approached his feet and arched its body, stroking his fur against his ankles dripped in blood. The cat sniffed it and started to lick Ecke''s blood as it was the most delicious treat it had ever had.


    ''What the fuck! Stop!''; shouted Eske trying to kick it. But as he moved his ankle, he would torture the pressure of his shoulder. The cat didn''t care. It was crunched over the pond of blood, drinking. He tried to pull free, but his hands were tightly bound. So he just stared at the animal while listening to the sounds of the cat slurping his blood. And Eske couldn''t take his eyes off the grotesque scene. He would die eaten by a cat or survive until he had nothing else to drip onto the floor. He finally closed his eyes and blacked out.


    A screeching scream woke him up. Followed by a loud howling and the sound of a continuous rumble of objects hitting each other. Mixed a deafening whooshing sound, similar to a waterfall. Eske could swear the walls were shaking but didn''t hear any screams or shouts. Almost like everyone was gone. The screeching sound repeated itself over and over again. The cat was hidden behind his ankles hissing and arching its back when suddenly, there was no sound. Even the numbers were quieter, turned into whispers, hiding into a veil of zeros. The only sound Eske could here were light, calm, pacing steps.


    His heart was racing, and cold sweat was tangling with his dry blood. He saw the cat trying to escape from the cell, but the closer it got to the door, the black cat was vanishing into black particles, as well as the cell''s door. And that is when Eske saw her for the first time.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.Grey hair floated wildly as the winds, black eyes void of any spark. She wore strange clothing reminiscent of ancient times, all covered in black particles. She walked toward him slowly, locking her oblivion eyes into his: ''What are you?''; she asked, without taking any notice of Eske''s reaction.


    He replied, confused: ''What?''


    She came even closer to him and looked down at him. Her gaze was piercingly sharp and clear. With the same curiosity she was asking about: ''What are you?''; she repeated.


    Eske answered: ''I...I don''t know what you mean!''


    With a smile, she put both hands around his cheek and lifted his face. A nervous grin appeared on Eske''s lips, which was soon replaced by an unknown fear and grief. But he quickly realised her hands were warm, soft, and he felt a familiar sense of home. He remembered his mother caressing him, telling him everything would be alright. Eske shivered at the touch and was overwhelmed with emotion. He cried out: "Please stop!"


    But before he could utter another word, she asked again: ''What are you? There is nothing like you.'' She moved his face slowly to the left, then slowly to the right. She scrutinised every detail of his face: ''So unique.''; she whispered.


    He tried to meet her eyes again, and slow numbers whispered around her silhouette. Always the same number. There was no combination, codes, or equations, just one number. Nine. Eske didn''t even flinch when the girl with grey hair leaned on him and licked his face: ''You taste different. Your time is different. You don''t belong here!''


    Eske stopped suddenly to feel the tightness of the rope and fell to the ground at her feet. Right in front of his nose, a cluster of black particles and dust transformed into a white hovering boomerang device. The girl jumped over it and reached out his hand: ''Hop up! The world is ending.'' Eske did as told, and as soon they moved, he held on to her waist the closest he could.


    ''Buckle up!''


    Both flew into the chaotic sky ripped with thunder and howling winds.


    They flew towards a dark smokey horizon where the sun was burning beyond the mountains, crumbling into black dust. Eske noticed everything was disappearing, like vanishing sand castles. The boy who could hear numbers didn''t hear anything while gliding to the end of the world. The only remaining sound was number nine and the brushing of her hair against his cheek. She broke the silence by saying: ''You need to jump!''


    ''What?''


    ''You need to jump! Now!''; she shouted.


    She turned to face him, placing her hands on his chest and giving him a push that made him fall into the big void.

 01:06 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    ''Eske! What the fuck! Turn that off!''; yelled a firm, male voice from the other side of the apartment.


    Eske opened his eyes and punched the alarm clock beside his bed while trying to open his eyes.


    ''You have to stop this! It is insane!''


    ''I''m sorry, I need to study.''; shouted Eske back.


    ''Eske, it is three in the morning.''


    ''Three fourteen in the morning.''; Eske corrected, rubbing his face against his palm.


    Robert entered his room and started pacing in front of him with his breeches unbuttoned and his naked torso. ''Eske, this has been happening every night for the last week. Is everything all right?''


    He didn''t answer for a while.


    He met Robert on the very first day when he landed in 1957. Robert was a tall, muscled guy with a funny moustache but mostly a friend now who, like him, got lost in this timeline after a long journey travelling time.


    ''I just need to study. Sleeping is overrated.''; Eske tried to joke.


    ''Are you having nightmares because of the cat again?''; Robert sat next to his friend on the bed. ''Eske, I''m here if you need me. I think if anyone can understand it, it would be me. Wouldn''t it?''


    It had been more than three years since they met each other. Robert found Eske half-dead, lying in a dirty alley behind the pub near his building. He took him home, tended him, and from the tattoo on his arm, he realised that Eske could not be from this timeline. Like him, he would have travelled through time without understanding how it works. They now shared the same misfortune and a flat near the university campus where Eske would attend. And Robert, as a doctor, gave private home consultations. Both of them had busy lives with secrets that ordinary people couldn''t understand. But Ecke''s past was too much for any human being to bear alone. ''I''m fine. I just need to study. That''s all.''


    ''I don''t think you''ll have any problem with the exam.''


    ''I know, I''m not worried.''


    ''So what is it? What are you keeping so tightly to yourself that you can''t sleep?''; asked Robert with a genuine, concerned gaze.


    ''Nothing,'' said Eske. ''Just..., did you ever forget things from a past timeline? Like faces? Names? Things that were important?''


    Robert nodded. ''I hope I remember what matters. But after living so many different timelines, I must admit that probably something was left behind.''


    ''What can you do to not forget faces?'' asked Eske, feeling a pit of guilt and sorrow boiling in his chest. He wouldn''t understand.


    Robert smiled and patted his face gently. ''A lot happened. You should take care of yourself. Forget about her.''


    ''I know,'' said Eske. He sighed and closed his eyes. ''I can''t remember what number nine looks like. It is driving me crazy.''


    ''Forget about her. Do you have a death wish?''


    Eske looked away, unable to look at Robert''s concerned expression. ''Don''t worry. It is not like I will cross paths again anytime. What would be the probabilities of that?''


    ''You made the math, didn''t you?''; said Robert smirking.


    ''0.0000000001%, those are my chances.''; said Eske while leaving the bed.


    ''It is still a chance.''


    Eske took a deep breath: ''It is closer to nothing than to something.''


    ''Just don''t bring her home. I don''t want to have tea with dooms day lady.''; laughed Robert.


    ''Shut up!''; Eske hit Robert''s shoulder. Then Eske turned and walked towards his closet.


    ¡®I¡¯m serious. Let her go. We know nothing about her or even if she¡¯s real.¡¯


    Pretending is just another day, 1961.


    For someone who woke up every day at three and fourteen in the morning, Eske was always late for classes. He had to run down the stairs two by four, or he''d never make it on time! But even when his feet were moving fast enough that they felt as though they might fly off into space, he failed. And would feel everyone''s eyes upon him once he stepped inside the threshold of the classroom.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ''Schrodinger, happy to see you decided to join us.'' the Professor looked at him like a cat watching an insect crawl across its paws: ''It is so good of you to honour us with your majestic presence.'' His gaze flicked away. ''Please take a seat!''


    Eske hid on the second line and noticed the Professor was new on the campus. A tall, slender man with wavy hair and hazel eyes: ''Good morning, class, my name is Delbert Whiterabbit, and I will be your Quantum theory professor for the semester.''; he went to the board and wrote his name Delbert Day Whiterabbit.


    ¡®How did he know my name?¡¯; thought Eske with a tingling in the back of his mind.


    ''Today''s theme is something that is very personal to me and to any of you. The question of existence itself. And how do we quantify the same? What is time?'' He scrutinised the auditorium and finally asked: ''Who wants to go first?''


    One hand raised first. Eske couldn''t see the student who dared to speak before anyone else: ''Time is a dream, of course. It changes depending on who we are. It checks. It changes depending on your mood. Checks. It changes depending on your health. Checks. It changes depending on what you did yesterday? Checks. It changes depending on whether or not it knows that you''re looking at it? Also, checks. It''s a ubiquitous dream, one that''s quite useful. But it''s a dream. Proof, when we wake up from it, it ends.''


    A silence waged the auditorium for seconds until the Professor asked: ''It is an interesting perspective, so your wake-up would be death?''


    The same voice replied: ''Potentially. I have never died, not that I''m aware of anyways. But considering subjective time starts after birth, it might be safe to say that subjective time also ends when we die. Suppose we have other means to measure time besides clocks and calendars. For example, time as a straightforward stream. The way a clock ticks along, the way the dates pass by in the calendar. Easy to visualise. But what if we instead start to measure time by the position of the celestial bodies and the position of ourselves on Earth? Would we instead begin to experience time as a place? A relationship between incomprehensibly huge things floating around us, isn''t it confusing? In time, we are right where we are, and landmarks are moving through the sky around us. As we keep moving, the place moves, and so do we. Does time still move straightforwardly, or do we now move forward in time? Time is so subjective that it''s impossible for me not to call it a dream.''


    The Professor interrupted by saying: ''Interesting perspective. You might be on something, but let''s be more tangible and less ambiguous, shall we? Next!''


    ''Art is how we decorate space. Music is how we decorate time.''


    ''Jean-Michel Basquiat, very nice, Miss Abby. Would you like to clarify?''


    ''Precision measurement of time is relatively recent in human history. Pre-industrial civilisations used clepsydra, water clocks, and sundials. Foucault''s Pendulum can be used to track hours and days. So it can be difficult to measure and track time. Civilisations have to agree on a universal method, and only then can that be the basis for scientific experiments.''; she explained in a low tone. Female students were rare on campus, especially in science. And the few that ventured into this department tried to be as discrete as possible.


    ''Who wants to go next?''; the Professor called out, almost as ignoring the girl''s reply.


    ''Time is the sequence of memories to be made.''; said another voice lost in the crowded room that Eske couldn''t identify. It was interrupted by a young man''s voice at the front line:


    ''Time is like a personal river, how I look at it. Some move faster, and others slower. When there are lots of things happening at once, we can feel like things get out of our control and a flood occurs. Other times it feels like a drought, and we wish a sudden rain would come to move things along. The rivers can also connect, supporting other rivers, tagging along with them or disrupting their currents. They also come in different sizes, depending on how many things one can handle simultaneously. And we are always pressing forward until we either reach our goals or dry out. I''m pretty sure it''s common to compare time to the current we travel in. I just like to think that everyone has their own currents which interconnect.''


    ''Thank you, Mr Taru, good point. But let''s try to be less poetic next time. Who wants to go next?''


    ''Me! Here!''


    ''Let''s hear it.''


    ''Time is a tower, and you are standing on its peak. Not merely by your own merit but because you were brought here by your forebears with the necessities to experience this: A consciousness that is aware of its own existence at this moment. Memories to recall a past are ever elusive and a mind to dream of and fear the dawning of a future that will never be. There was only ever this moment. There only ever will be. When our journey through this universe has ended, time will cease to be. No one remembers the past. No one to think of a future. It will be born anew when someone else reaches this peak. Aware of life and its frailty, measuring the spectre of time in fragments of a finite life.''


    ''Well, this class is full of poets. If time is only a perception, what are we doing here today? If it''s a dream, why are you here? Literature is on the other side of the campus.''


    ''Time is a four-letter word in English. Time is spelt t-i-m-e. Time the word also exists in other languages. That is Time, a word.''; the auditorium stormed in laughter.


    ''Okay, okay, very funny. Ah-ah. As I said, poets. Any other poet in the room?''


    ''Time is an ever-branching tree of possibilities. Every present has many futures, and every present also has many pasts! So, time is a web of branches ever joining and splitting.''; the answer came from three seats on Eske''s right. A redhead with her eyes hidden behind big glasses.


    ''Your name?''; asked the Professor, also intrigued.


    ''Penelope Bonheur, Sir.''; she replied. She was sitting straight. Eske wondered why he hadn''t seen her earlier, perhaps she arrived late too, but he didn''t know much about her. ''And let me add, another thing that messes around with time is whether things are deterministic, probabilistic or other. If X influences Y, you mess up when you return. If an action causes the timeline to branch out, you are essentially creating a multiverse. An alternative and similar approach would be to say everything is happening till it happens. Some things are more likely to happen. And some possibilities die after an action is taken. Worth comparing the Copenhagens approach and Einsteins approach. Just saying.''


    ''It was so far the most interesting approach Miss Bonheur. The most by far. What about Mr Schrodinger, Any suggestion? ideas?''


    ''It''s a virus, or it behaves like a fungus. A fractal, as a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is, at least approximately, a reduced-size copy of the whole. So using the virus or fungal example, it eventually has a core, a center, and will spread to other cores leaving residues of itself aloof. But still connected. Which creates, as others suggested, alternative timelines. Because we are creatures who perceive only in three dimensions to the best of our abilities, we measure time poorly with metrics and devices that don''t make any sense. The first is just wrong. The rotation of the planet over the sun and the solar system flying through space cannot be measured as we do. Second, the mass of the equation is not the same. We are all different. Not only superficially but genetically and mentally, each cell of our being is not the same as the other, which means that the perception and experience of time are different. The impact I have on a timeline will be different on another. It will create another line. And so on for everyone. As time spreads through the universe, it gets corrupted. The information that it inherited from his core is no longer there and starts to die in itself. And time doesn''t stop existing because I die or lose conscience of time. It will continue to spread as cancer. I''m just no longer part of the equation.''


    ''And how would you solve this?''


    ''Aren''t you dying to know?''; Eske gripping his table, not understanding why he didn''t trust Professor Whiterabbit, but the numbers he could hear didn¡¯t add up. Did he forgot something?

 01:07 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    After the lecture, in the boy''s restroom, Eske looked at himself. He had a tired face, and the black circles under his yellow-golden eyes started to show. In the last years, his shaved head was replaced by long strands of black locks. From his count, he should be by now 32, but he didn''t look like it. He looked as if time had forgotten about him.


    Eske hated his reflection in the mirror. He didn''t know who he was or who he could trust. He constantly felt like a rat about to be caught by a cheese trap. Still trying to figure out why.


    The last time he remembered seeing himself in a mirror, he was twelve, and his mother was trying to turn him into someone else. Into them. That is the major reason he doesn''t allow people to touch his hair, much less cut it. What the fuck was he doing? Why did he decide to follow an academic life? He could just go rampage and have fun, as Robert told him. What was he trying to prove? Why? Because that''s what he always does, he overthinks. He listens too much. He tried to understand a universe that doesn''t speak his language, and why? What''s the point? Why him?


    Why?!


    He didn''t feel the pain of the skin cut on his knuckles, nor hear the pieces of mirror falling on the ground and over the sink. He just punched his own reflection with no logical explanation. Eske had a temper that he didn''t know how to control.


    ''Are you all right, Sir?''


    He turned his head and saw a fuzzy silhouette next to him. He couldn''t see her straight, but her numbers sang to him as an orchestra made of colours and warmth, something as home. She was at his feet, picking up the shattered pieces, until the song was interrupted by a small shout of startled pain. ''Autsh.''


    He crouched down and gathered the broken glass fragments as well when he noticed she had cut her finger. It wasn''t deep, but blood trickled from her fingertip. His hands were shaking. With trembling arms, he took her hand and pressed his lips against her fingertip sucking the drops of blood.


    When the bleeding stopped, Eske noticed she was looking at him with her face now vivid red.


    The blurry image started slowly to focus. She was beautiful. She had a triangle-shaped face with black eyes void of any spark. They looked tired, with black circles underneath them. Just like him. Far she looked like any other girl, but her numbers were majestic, as she could hold all the secrets of all universes created at that precise moment. Number nine.


    ''Sir, you need to let go of my hand.''; she said almost in a whisper.


    ''What?''


    ''My hand.''


    Eske looked at their hands. He didn''t realise he had tangled his fingers around hers. ''Oh, yeah, hum, sorry.''


    She stared at him. A faint smile appeared on his lips. The young woman smiled back, and he felt a tingle running through his veins. ''Can I kiss you?''


    Her cheeks flushed crimson. Her voice sounded so sweet and soft when she asked: ''What?''


    ''What!''


    ''What did you ask?''


    Eske had a brain freeze. What did he just say? ''I meant..., if..., what is your name?''


    ''You are so strange.''; she flinched her hands and took the broom to gather the scattered mirror.


    ''You are not going to tell me?''Stolen story; please report.


    With a sigh, Eske stood up and walked away from the shattered mirror, too embarrassed. Little by little, he realised what a fool he had made of himself. When he reached the door, he heard her mutter: ''Nona.''


    His heart skipped a beat for some reason, and he smiled widely and replied: ''It''s my favourite number.''


    ''Eske?''


    Eske played with a couple of peas on his plate, daydreaming, holding his head on the other.


    ''Eske! Are you listening to me, buddy?''; asked Robert on the other side of the table: ''Is anything wrong with the food?''


    ''No..., no, everything is fine. Sorry, I don''t feel like talking much today.''


    Robert frowned. ''Well, that''s very unusual. You usually talk for the both of us.''; he jested, sipping his wine.


    "Yes, well...'', Eske muttered without answering.


    ''Don''t be such a bore. What is going on? Did something happen at the campus?''


    Eske shook his head: ''I just met someone.''


    ''A girl?''


    Eske nodded.


    Robert raised an eyebrow. ''Well, well, well, tell me more! How do you know this girl?''


    ''She is a cleaning lady at the university.''


    ''So? Where did you meet her?''


    Eske shrugged his shoulders. ''In the men''s bathroom.''


    ''What?! How?''


    Eske looked up. ''How am I supposed to explain? I was in the restroom, and she came in to clean, that''s all.''


    ''But...''; Robert stammered. ''That''s really uncommon.''


    ''Yeah.''; Eske agreed and continued: ''and we talked.''


    Robert squinted his eyes. ''Really?


    ''I asked if I could kiss her.''; muttered Eske, realising how stupid he sounded: ''I need more wine.''


    Robert opened his mouth, closed it again and sighed. ''Okay, so, what happened after?''


    ''Nothing special, nothing.''


    ''Then what?''


    Eske sat upright and gave him a look like he''d made the biggest blunder of his life: ''Nothing. I asked her name, and she said Nona. And that''s it. She also called me weird.''


    ''Huh, okay, I can comprehend her response. Makes sense. You are a bit..., how should I put it in words? Peculiar.''


    Eske fell silent and stared out of the window. He thought about the encounter. There was something there, even though he couldn''t pinpoint its exact nature. Something familiar. ''How do you kiss a girl?''; he asked.


    Robert snorted. ''You need to ask her on a date first.''


    ''Do you think she would agree?''


    Robert grinned: ''Who knows?''


    Eske smiled wryly and leaned back. ''So how does it works?''


    ''For a start, dating is a group affair, and if you want to get to know a member of the opposite sex, you get together with a group of your friends and a group of her friends.''; explained Robert.


    Eske laughed cynically: ''I''m not sure I can manage that. I don''t have friends. I only know you!''


    Robert chuckled and continued explaining: ''A boy should open the door for his date. He is also expected to pay for movie tickets, dinner or any sort of refreshments. And that''s pretty much it.''


    ''So, if I get you a date, would you come with me?''


    ''Why? Do you know any redhead?''


    Eske woke up before the alarm clock could ring. He jumped into the shower, dressed in his favourite black suit and grey vest. He even added a tie. Black should be fine. Did she like black? With her grey and red uniform, he couldn''t tell much or imagine what her preferences would be. Maybe she liked vivid colours. However, her nails weren''t painted, and she wore no makeup. But she was working. Did girls wear makeup when they work? He never noticed it. He quickly prepared himself a mug of coffee and tried to be as discrete as possible to not wake up Robert.


    Eske smiled at the thought that he had no idea how good-looking she would look with makeup. It made him feel more excited about asking her on a date.


    Eske left the flat exactly at 03:45 am and arrived at the main gate at 03:55 am. The sun hadn''t risen yet. It would be impossible that he would miss her arrival at the campus. He stood there in the middle of the university courtyard, waiting for her.


    While the sun started to show, she suddenly appeared in his sight., He could see her strolling calmly. She wasn''t wearing anything special, just her uniform and a tick beige coat. Her eyes were wide open and staring straight ahead with shock.


    He gave a big smile. But Nona didn''t move. She was like paralyse on the spot. He came closer and greeted her with his widest smile, but nothing. It was almost as if he was invisible to her.


    Her numbers were flashing around her and whispering, shouting, screaming, as a mob gathered around her to turn into an abrupt silence. And that is when he saw it, for the very first time, black particles exhaling out between her lips.

 01:08 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    Her numbers flashed around her, whispering, shouting, and screaming as an ocean of strangers gathered around her to turn into an abrupt silence. That is when Eske saw it, for the very first time, black particles exhaling out between her lips. It was all so sudden, so unexpected. He didn''t have enough time to process what was about to happen.


    The thought had never even crossed his mind that such a cataclysmic event could occur in front of his eyes. He watched the black dust of particles disappear in the air to become something else, something real. Something atrocious.


    Placing Nona and him as witnesses of a ruthless time event. A sizeable wooden stage appeared before them, with a crowd demanding the execution of a woman tied to a pole. With her feet encircled by wood and sticks, her whimpering, pleading and screams dissolved into the famish anger of the mob. The mass meeting of a wild frenzy of excitement watching death live. Demanded by shouts and unison slogans. Their words set her to burn, set her to die.


    Eske recognised the despair of wanting to be heard, to be seen as human, and so much more. He recognised the beasts of hatred lost in the crowd. Nona''s watery eyes were wide open: ''It''s happening again.''; is all she could mumble.


    ''I should do something.''; said Eske, but she reached for his hand. Her fingers tightened around his.


    She looked at the flames growing, looking through his face: ''Is not really happening.''


    ''There must be something we can do. This is wrong.''; he said, trying to ignore the smell of burning human flesh floating in the air. It smelled like pork.


    ''Eske, it never happened, or already happened or will happen.''; she swallowed dryly: ''You are the first one I met that can see it too.''


    ''Did it happen before?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''Is it always like that?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''Must you watch it?''


    ''Is hard not to.''


    Eske placed a hand over her eyes, and with his other arm, he hugged her as tight as he could. With his chin resting on Nona''s head, he whispered to her: ''I''ll let you know when it is over, and I''ll keep talking to distract you. Robert says I talk a lot. I hope it serves some purpose.''


    He felt her grip tighten. She nodded. ''Why are you doing this? You don''t even know me.''


    A strange feeling came upon him, a sense of peace and calmness, but also a sensation of being safe, which was new for him. Eske wasn''t worried about the crowd rejoicing a woman''s consummation by a furnace, swallowing her alive. But he did care about her, Nona. He really did. The girl who couldn''t even stand up straight when confronted with others suffering. The girl who cried when faced with others'' pain and witnessed the ugliest of humankind. That was why he wanted to help her, why he cared.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!''I do know you. It took me a bit to recognise you. But I do remember you. I do know you.''; Eske kept repeating, hoping his voice was louder than the crowd.


    Nona smiled sadly. ''That is not true.''


    ''1944, I was almost beaten to death and really thought a cat would eat me alive, and you showed up from nowhere. And you saved me. You saved me, Nona.''


    ''I don''t..., you make no sense.''


    ''And now you''re here,'' he continued. ''What I say is as real as what is happening right now.''


    ''No. Not possible.''


    ''It''s all right if you don''t believe me.''


    ''I don''t understand.''


    Eske held her tighter: ''It''s okay. It is not important. It is just a story.''; he would only realise later on how frequently he would repeat these words: ''It is okay. It is just a story.''


    She tried to pull away slowly, but Eske wouldn''t let her go: ''I don''t want you to watch this.''


    ''But it is nothing. Just a story.''; she whispered, repeating. He felt his hand wet with her tears. As he saw the woman disappear into ashes, the curiosity seekers had already carried away all that was left of the memorable event, even pieces of charcoal. And so did the mob and all the detailed pieces of the macabre scenario, like a storm of black sand gathering the cluster of something that never happened to vanish back between Nona''s lips.


    Eske removed his hand from her eyes. They stared at each other. Eske could see there was another world behind those black eyes. As if a light was stirred slowly where there used to be none. His hands still clutched hers tightly, holding onto her warmth.


    ''Do you feel better?''; asked Eske, knowing full well she might not answer the truth. For a moment, there was fear in her eyes. She squeezed his hand harder.


    With her free hand, Nona wiped the moisture off her cheeks. ''I think I''m about to throw up.''; she admitted.


    Eske laughed but not for long. Nona started to vomit compulsively. It seemed that her body was trying to purge itself of time. Eske held her hair, stroking her back soothingly while she retched, and then she stopped.


    When the last spasm passed, Nona leaned against him. Yet, her head fell to the side, and her eyes rolled back. Nona¡¯s body shacked uncontrollably. Eske fell on the ground with her, trying to hold her head still. This is the part that Eske would never tell Nona. He would never tell her about how bad it was once she finished downloading. How each time he would feel she might not come back to him.


    This was his first time. Nona was having a seizure, with her body leaning against his. His heart broke, seeing her like this. He wished he knew what to do. All he could do was hold her as tight as he could, shouting in the empty courtyard for help. There was no one besides them.


    And him, watching from afar. Selfish and indifferent, Professor Delbert Day Whiterabbit.

 01:09 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    ''You must be kidding me!''


    ''Please, Robert, help me. She had a seizure and passed out. Still didn''t wake up!; Eske held Nona''s unconscious body at the front door of their apartment. Robert was still waking up, holding an empty cup of coffee. He looked at her with concern as he asked: ''What happened?''


    ''I think she is one of us, but different.''; explained Eske stepping inside the flat and going towards his room where he laid Nona. He took off her shoes to set her more comfortable and said quietly: ''Robert, I don''t know what is wrong with her.''


    Robert clicked his tongue: ''Sure, but try to explain to me calmly because you look like a cat drenched in water.''.


    ''I went to the campus to wait for her. I wanted to ask her on a date like I told you, and, and... and it happened like the campus was no longer the campus.''; Eske tried to explain.


    Robert placed his hand over Eske''s shoulder: ''Try again.''


    Eske sat on his bed next to Nona''s unconscious body: ''I think she can summon time events. She breathed out some black dust, particles, whatever you want to name it, and it became a whole scene. It looked like the execution of a woman in mid-1700. I don''t know. Not great at History. And it vanished with her having a seizure.''


    ''You are telling me she summoned a historical event? In the campus, that nobody else noticed? Because I think I could see it from here.'' Robert was right. From the living room window, they could peek at the whole courtyard of the university. It would be impossible to miss the bursting fire, and the rejoiced raging mob.


    ''I don''t know, Robert, I''m explaining what I saw. It disappeared as it appeared and returned to her like she swallowed time.''


    Robert came closer to Nona and opened her mouth. There was no trace of any black residue. ''I can''t see anything. After that, she had seizures?''


    ''Still didn''t wake up,''; confirmed Eske.


    ''I never heard of a time traveller who could summon time events.''; Robert looked at the girl. ''Let her rest. Maybe later, she can explain whatever is going on herself. I have to go now. Are you staying?¡¯


    ''Yeah, I''ll stay. Don''t want to leave her alone.¡¯


    Nona was sleeping peacefully. The first thing Eske did after Robert closed the door behind him was to place his hands on her cheeks and kiss her forehead tenderly. Then he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close against himself. Eske couldn''t shake the feeling that she was in danger but could not calculate where the danger resided.


    She didn''t move all morning. There were moments Eske had to check if she was breathing by placing his hand in front of her mouth and even checking her pulse. Besides that, he barely moved.


    Eske stayed there until Nona slowly opened her eyes. She was looking into his face with her black eyes. They looked different, as if braziers were lit up in the middle of the void. A tear ran down Eske''s cheek.


    ''Why you''re crying?''; Nona asked sleepily.


    Eske shook his head: ''No, I am not crying.'';


    She swiped one of his tears with her finger and showed it to him: ''You are crying.''


    He shrugged, chuckling: ''Yes, I guess I am.''


    Nona smiled and rested her head on his chest. ''Don''t cry''.


    Hearing those words coming out of her lips, his heart ached: ''I have no fucking clue why.''; he chuckled. ''Are you feeling better? You scared the hell out of me.''; he slowly stood up from the bed and asked: ''Are you hungry? I can make you breakfast or, better, lunch.''; he said, checking his wrist.


    ''I can''t eat.''


    ''You can''t eat?''


    ''Everything tastes like the jelly part of a ripe tomato drowned in vinegar and liquorice.''; she explained while shaking her head. ''I don''t remember the last time I eat something that I don''t end up throwing up.''


    Eske stared at her for a second and said: ''That sounds disgusting.''


    ''I know.''; Nona laughed softly. ''But I can drink coffee. Coffee is bitter no matter when.''


    ''Coffee it is.''; Eske sighed and walked away.


    He reappeared a couple of minutes after with two mugs of coffee and a plate of dry biscuits. ''Maybe if you drown the biscuits in the coffee, it will taste less tomato-ish.''A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ''Thanks.''; she said, taking one biscuit, drowning it in her mug, and biting it carefully. ''Where''s your friend?''; Nona asked.


    ''Robert? He has left already. He probably had some patients to check.''


    ''Oh, he is a doctor?''; Nona asked.


    Eske shrugged his shoulders: ''That''s what we call them.''


    ''And you are a time traveller?''; Nona asked, trying to sound casual about it. ''I heard you talking to him.''


    ''Yes.''; Eske answered. ''We met three years ago. This is my first trip, I think.''; Eske sipped his coffee and finally asked: ''You don''t remember me don''t you?''


    ''If I say I don''t remember you, I would be lying. My concept of time and how time flows is different from yours.''


    ''Say it again?''


    ''People conceive memories by past, present and future. They cannot remember the future since they didn''t collect any memories yet. Right?''


    ''Euh..., yes, right.''


    ''I have all the memories, past, present and future, but sometimes I''m not at the right time-place of the when inside my head. I might have already met you, but now, I''m in a time-place that I haven''t. Maybe next time we meet, I will remember more than you remember me. It is hard to explain. Sometimes, I rather tell people I don''t remember. Or I forgot. It''s easier.''


    ''So you would have a memory of when we first kissed.''


    ''We kissed?''


    ''Not yet.''; Eske smirked. Stealing a cookie from the plate and giving it a bite: ''Oh, those are awful!''


    ''They taste better with coffee.''; Nona giggled.


    Eske smiled back: ''Well, let me give you another reason to smile.''; He reached forward and touched Nona''s cheek. ''You are drop-dead gorgeous. I love your numbers.''


    Nona felt her heart beat faster, and her breath quickened. ''You are so strange. I never meet someone like you.''


    ''Me neither.''; Eske replied, leaning closer to her. ¡®I heard once someone telling me I was unique. That there was nothing like me!¡¯; he looked at her for any reaction if she would recognise her own words. But nothing. He didn¡¯t care. She was here.


    The moment lasted forever and then melted into nothingness in seconds. Before Eske knew it, the moment seemed frozen in time and space. But he had seen everything, Nona''s face turning red, her lips parting slightly. His heart was beating fast enough to break through his rib cage. But their lips never met.


    The hairs on Nona''s arm stood up. The air became silent, and slow black particles would exhale from between her lips. Her eyes widened, staring at Eske with wonder.


    It wasn''t just his imagination, he thought, watching Nona''s expression change before his very eyes. She blinked once and looked down. Slowly, she turned towards the window next to the door: ''Has anything happened?''


    ''Not yet.''; Eske whispered. ''But I hear it.'';


    ''What do you mean?''; Nona asked. ''Is something happening?''


    Eske nodded with a grin and said, ''There is a little something. Wait for it.''


    ''I can''t hear anything.''; Nona frowned.


    ''Listen.''; Eske said, placing a finger over her lips.


    Her gaze fell upon the window. Suddenly, Nona gasped. A small breeze blew outside, blowing curtains aside. The wind picked up speed and started swirling around the room, and the first piano note could be heard. Then the second, third and finally, the voice.


    <blockquote>


    Love of my life you''ve hurt me, You''ve broken my heart and now you leave me


    </blockquote>


    ''What''s this?''; Nona asked.


    ''A love song.''; Eske said in awe, retaining every detail.


    Nona glanced at him with curiosity.


    ''I never heard it.'', he told her. ''Do you know what it is?''


    Nona shook her head.


    Eske gave her a questioning look. ''You like it?''; he asked.


    She nodded. ''Yes.''; she answered with a soft sigh. ''This is beautiful.''; she added. ''I''ve always wondered how it is.'';


    Eske looked at her with wide-open eyes. ''Really? You never have?''


    Nona shook her head: ''Never. I don''t think I would forget that.''; she repeated. ''Who sings these songs?''; she asked, her eyes sparkling with delight.


    Eske shrugged his shoulders. ''I don''t know.'';


    Nona took a sip of coffee. ''Didn''t you ever sing for anyone?''; she asked.


    Eske shook his head again: ''Not yet.''


    ''Then maybe you should start singing to me.''; she suggested, jesting.


    ''I''ll try.''; Eske agreed. ''Can''t promise that I won''t mess up, though. So this is our song now?''; he asked.


    ''Why not? Every great love story has an even greater song.''; Nona replied, still thinking they were just joking around. But he wasn''t.


    Eske grinned. ''I like that.''; he said.


    ''You are weird.''; Nona stated, smiling. ''I like that.''


    ''I feel the same way about you.''; Eske admitted.


    Nona''s lips curved upwards. ''Good.''; she said.


    Eske leaned to Nona''s ear and whispered: ''I really want to kiss you.'';


    Nona blushed. ''I''d like that.''; she said. But the song had to reach the last note, and a dusty breeze of shadow caressed Nona''s lips. And she fell unconscious again in his arms.


    ''I can wait.''; Eske mumbled, brushing her hair out of her face: ''I can definitely wait.''

 01:10 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    ''Is she going to stay rent-free?''; asked Robert while Nona was taking a shower and couldn''t hear them.


    ''She is safe here.'' said Eske, prepping potatoes and carrots for dinner. ''I don''t feel comfortable to know her alone, knowing what can happen to her.''


    Robert turned his head away and stared at a point on the ceiling as though trying to recall something else. ''I wonder if we are the ones safe with her.''


    ''She is harmless. She has no one, Robert!''; said Eske.


    Robert saw in him that look which was almost pleading not to say anything further about it. But then there were other things besides safety from danger, or rather, even more important than such an issue. Robert didn''t know if they could trust her. She had been through so much already this two last days. Since that morning she arrived, Nona had experienced nine time events.


    Screams from another room, domestic abuse of a couple that Eske is almost certain that the wife didn''t make it.


    Strange TV shows of people closed inside a house, in vivid colour.


    An old man was reading a newspaper with the headline Mandela Goes Free Today.


    Two women were doing their nails and talking about a massive layoff, and both were victims.


    A child looking at a tiny screen, sitten on the floor and, for some reason, started to cry.


    Those are examples of innocent and harmless ones. Then there were the violent events that usually would be directed against Nona. Most of them were just jump scares until last night.


    Nona never complained. She never said if they hurt her or even if she was scared. Nona would say nothing, and Eske noticed she would try to be as small as she could. He could only guess how much pain she must have felt. He wanted to tell her that she was safe with him. That he would protect her even though he wasn''t sure how.


    There wasn''t much he could do besides watching over her. He tried to hide all grotesque forms of violence from her, but it was hard to distract her from the goriest acts humans could afford. Even when Nona fell asleep, she still seemed uneasy and frightened. Her eyes glistened like those of someone who''s lost all hope. And now he knew why. The world around her had a foul taste.


    ''So you stay all day here with her?'', asked Robert. ''What about university?''; he added quickly.


    ''What about it?''; Eske answered without turning round.


    Nona came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and stand between both men: ''What are you guys talking about?''


    Eske looked at her, unable to meet her gaze. The sight of her wet skin made him want to hug her tight and hold her waist even closer, telling her everything would be alright. ''Robert was just making conversation.''; Eske said unhurriedly.


    ''Oh yes,''; said Robert, smiling sarcastically, and waved his hands in front of himself. ''It doesn''t matter. I am not the one without a degree.''; he replied, as though this should make sense to anyone.


    ''What does he mean?''; she asked, looking to Eske.


    He smiled wryly. ''That means I won''t go back to school. Point.''; he said stoically and shook his head. The words sounded bitter coming from him, but he really meant it.


    ''Why?''; she asked, and Nona gave him a wary glance. His answer did not please her either.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ''Because, well, I need to stay here.''


    ''Why?''


    ''Because you need me.''


    ''Why?''; she repeated.


    Eske sighed deeply: ''Because I.., I can''t afford that something happen to you.''


    ''You''re joking!''; Nona exclaimed.


    Robert laughed: ''Someone with common sense, finally.''; he paused. ''Thought I was the only one.''


    ''You can''t just stop your life because of me. I''m used to whatever happens to me. You''re not. And as Robert said, you need a degree. I don''t. But I need to work. I don''t live anywhere rent-free!''; she said, showing she had heard both talking, which placed Robert in a very awkward place to be.


    ''Nona, you don''t understand...''; Eske tried to reason without wanting to bring into the conversation the nefarious effect she had several times after a time event. And the idea that the latest could touch her was undeniable to him that he couldn''t just leave her alone.


    ''I know how to take care of myself. And you should do the same.''; Nona said, looking at him intently, waiting for a response. Eske nodded silently.


    ''So you want to go back to cleaning?''; asked Eske.


    ''I don''t have a degree, Eske. I can''t afford fancy jobs. So yes, I clean toilets because someone has to clean the shit everyone makes!''; Nona said, sounding angry, but she was too tired and exhausted by the previous night''s event. She needed sleep before thinking about anything else.


    ''And what about college?''; Robert interrupted, trying to change the subject. ''The plans to unmask the secrets of the universe. Are those gone?''


    ''No! No way!''; she protested. ''But what plans?''; Nona asked, changing her tone.


    ''Pretty boy here can hear numbers.''; Robert said sarcastically.


    ''How? Synesthetic associations?''; she asked Robert.


    ''No, not really. What I hear actually makes sense. Or at least most of it. Like, I''ve got a number 6. It sounds like six. This is an awful example that doesn''t really apply. But let''s work with it, yes, it does sound like six.''; explained Eske, smiling. ''Like the word itself, it is associated with the sound of the letter S. Or, six times the clock ticking. But it could be four steps and two knocks. Or one laugh, two tears and a name. Those are the confusing mixing sounds.''; Eske described as though explaining to a child.


    ''That sounds pretty much as synesthetic to me.''; she said, looking up at him.


    ''Yes, I know. But the numbers in this time are different from my time. My time, the numbers were more like whispering, and suddenly could scream. Here, in general, the numbers are talking, like we are now. Just chatting. But Robert''s numbers sound like a cello. So that is why I know he is not from this time, nor mine, nor yours.''


    ''You don''t hear numbers, but actually time?''; Nona asked, looking at Eske.


    ''I don''t think it is only time. I''m pretty sure I hear a map of everything. Including a map of time, but I can''t draw it yet, because I lack the knowledge to draw the question. The equation that would lead to the solution I already know. And it is like it is on the tip of my tongue, but something is missing.''; he said while scratching his tattooed forearm.


    ''Are you sure?''; Nona asked, surprised.


    ''Yes. There isn''t any doubt about it. I''ve spent years learning and understanding the patterns of these noises until now.'' Eske said.


    ''I don''t know if I''m understanding.''; Nona muttered. ''If you''re saying you can hear time as a map, does that mean...'' she began.


    ''Time is like a river, flowing along its course.''; he finished.


    ''And pretty boy is listening to the flow.''; Robert said, interrupting again.


    ''Yes. That''s pretty much it.''


    ''What he is missing is to build us a gyroscope, so we don''t get lost in the sea.''; said Robert, starting to set the table for three.


    ''Travel time without getting lost. But how would it look it? A compass? A drawing map? I mean, how do you map something infinite?''; she asked.


    ''We''ll find out soon enough.''; Robert laughed. ''If Eske decides to study, instead of..., of..., well, you know.''; he pointed at Nona from head to toe.


    ''Is not an instrument, is an equation that must fit all these maps, coordination, code combination in one single equation.''; Esked explained.


    ''You should go to school.''; Nona said. ''To learn maths properly.''; she added, nodding towards Roberts. ''What can I do to help?''


    Eske looked at her seriously and said: ''Don''t worry about me. You have your own problems, you know.''; he smiled sadly. ''Now let''s eat dinner.''


    ''Oh, Nona, you might want to dress something more..., how can I put it, comfortable.''; Robert looked down at her. ''Pretty boy is already drooling himself.''

 01:11 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    Eske didn''t change his 03:14 alarm. He wanted to wake up early to take breakfast with Nona, which would only consist of coffee and nothing else, and walk her to the campus and keep her company until classes started. It became a strange, pleasant habit, and he got used to his hands smelling of bleach and lavender.


    He also learned more about her, just small things, like Nona''s bizarre habit of following strict patterns. She would be obsessed with the most stubborn stain or a misplaced object by a one-degree angle. Even Eske wasn''t sure if there was any difference. Things had to be in a certain way that only Nona comprehended, and there was no possible logical justification she could provide. Some things are because they are. And it made perfect sense to her. Truth be told, the room she would set her hands on and clean would end up immaculate, perfect, just like her.


    It''s funny how much you can learn from someone just by doing mundane things. ''Aren''t you late?''; she asked.


    ''No, still have a couple of minutes.''


    Nona looked at him suspiciously for an instant as though he were trying to hide something behind those yellow-golden eyes but then nodded. She smiled and said: ''Just try to do your best.''


    ''I think it is cute.'': he said, smiling while dusting the class tables.


    ''You missed that spot in the corner.''; and then asked: ''What is cute?''


    Eske laughed and turned away so she couldn''t see his face. But he heard her laugh too. ''I like it when you pick on me. Is cute.''


    ''I don''t nag you! Don''t just swipe. Otherwise, the dust falls back on the surface!''; she gave him one last look over her shoulder: ''Okay, maybe I''m a bit bossy.''


    ''Yes, ma''am.''; Eske laughed.


    ''You don''t have to be here.''


    ''Are you kidding? And you''ll have all the fun alone? No, no!''


    She sighed. ''I think this is nice.''


    ''I''m joking, it is. It is really nice. And it has been days since you haven''t had an episode. Which is good news. We should celebrate, what do you think?''


    ''About the cleaning? Or my time-ish condition?''


    He shrugged. ''Both.''


    And so he did not mind that his fingers felt numb, stiff and smelling of bleach after working for two hours straight. He left Nona for class with the promise of a date. Finally!


    At the end of the day, Eske waited on a bench in the courtyard. He waited, but she was late. At least an hour passed, and still no sign of Nona.


    The sun sank down into the horizon, casting long shadows across the yard. Eske got back inside the building, which was almost empty, with just a few staff members leaving. He asked one of them if they had seen her. But nothing. She was supposed to have left an hour ago.


    ''Where is she?''; he whispered to himself.


    A faint light came out of the darkness in the long corridors. Eske noticed a shadow moving through the hall towards an exit. A tall silhouette appeared outside the door. In fact, Eske could hear the sound of footsteps and then a gentle voice soothing voice.


    ''Come on darling, it has been an hour. Let''s end this torturous conversation once and for all. You have plans, I have plans, let''s just end this. Tell me. It is that simple! Tell me.''


    ''I don''t know! I have no idea what you''re talking about!''; Nona''s voice was almost shouting. Eske could feel something was wrong.


    His heart beat faster, and he ran to meet her. As soon as he reached the door, he heard the exact words. The same words of an empty promise: ''You know I am not going to kill you. I''m going to keep you alive in pure agonising misery, and perhaps, one day, I''ll be nice once you decide to talk to me.''; the promise ended with the sound of a heavy slap.


    ''Fuck off, asshole.''; shouted Eske, storming into the classroom. By now, everyone knows that Eske has a temper. A nasty bad temper.


    When his eyes landed on Nona''s bruised face and Professor Whiterabbit threatening her with his fists and words. These exact words he used on a kid cloistered against his will in a room filled only with silence. It would be expected that Eske would converse with his temper instead of words.


    ''Don''t ever touch her,''; he snarled at him.


    ''Oh, please.''; the professor replied, laughing. ''The boy doesn''t get it. How many times must we repeat ourselves before he understands?'' Professor Whiterabbit raised his arms above his shoulders, holding his hands open wide: ''Come on, little Schrodinger, let''s show her who you truly are!''If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Eske couldn''t hold himself. His closed fit landed directly on Whiterabbit''s nose, plunging him to the ground. Eske didn''t lose track and kneeled over the professor''s chest, hitting his face left to right, right to left. It was one punch over the other. No broken bone sound, crack, or splash would stop Eske''s lived rage. He didn''t care about anything other than smashing the bastard''s skull into a pulp. Only one word called him back: ''Stop.''


    Nona spoke quietly, calmly, looking at him without fear. ''I think he is already dead.''


    ''Oh.''; said Eske. His eyes widened, and he stepped backwards: ''He hurt you and..., and he..., fuck. Oh fuck.''


    Eske felt his stomach tighten, and sweat broke out all over him. He stood there witnessing a man, thin and balding with a narrow face, sharp-featured, missing one tooth and his brain slurping out of his skull. ''Why does he looks shorter?''


    ''Maybe because he is dead?''; Nona asked.


    ''Professor Whiterabbit.''; Eske breathed the name like a curse.


    ''Yeah, he doesn''t give up.''; Nona grinned. ''But you''re right. He does look short.''


    ''You''re laughing?''; he asked.


    ''It''s funny.''; Nona answered softly.


    ''I just killed someone. Shouldn''t you be screaming or scared of me, or...''


    ''Or help you get rid of the body?''; she said, still holding her laughter.


    ''Nona, your face..., what did he do to you?''; he asked.


    ''Nothing. Nothing happened.''; Nona answered, her smile fading away. ''We talked, we argued, he hit me once or twice, I lost count. And then you killed him. End of the story.''


    ''Why? Why would he..., did he know about you?''; he asked.


    ''He does.''; she replied. ''He does know about us.''


    ''How?''; he asked.


    ''Because he knows everything. About you and about me.''


    ''Who is he?


    ''I still don''t know.''; answered Nona. ''Would you help me? I promise you will thank me later. This is gonna make you laugh so much.''


    ''Of course.''; Eske took a deep breath. And a bit confused about how he would think this would be funny.


    ''Thank you.''; Nona said. ''Now, hurry up and grab his arms!''; as they lifted the body from the ground, pieces of the brain would splash on the floor. They were able to place it right in front of the door. Nona knocked on the doorway, and Eske could hear sounds echoing from each beat. She was hitting a code on the wood 6-0-4-2-4-1-9-6-5. Eske felt a wave he couldn''t describe as when someone opened a freezer and was baffled by a cold wave.


    ''When is that?''; he asked her.


    ''I don''t know, I''m just knocking on random numbers.''; she shrugged, making him sign to push the body while she opened the door, closing it immediately.


    ''Did it work? That couldn''t possibly work out. Did it?''


    ''Only one way to find out.''; she opened the door with the widest smile and showed an empty dark corridor. No dead body to be seen.


    ''Did a dead man just time travel?''


    ''Probably.''; Nona smiled. ''Most likely, yes.''


    ''So when is he?''; asked Eske, looking at Nona''s face, and he forgot even what he was asking: ''Nona, is it normal that you are bleeding black?''


    ''Oh, that.''; she pulled a white handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her lips. ''I don''t have much time left.''


    ''What do you mean? Nona, maybe we should see Robert, and he can tell what''s wrong.''


    Nona shook her head. ''Eske, it is okay. I''m fine. I''m just running out of time. I have to finish what I started.''


    ''Time?''; he asked again. ''Is there some sort of clock ticking somewhere?''


    ''Let''s say I have picked up everything I could from this world, I can no longer stay here, and neither can this world continue to exist.''; she looked at him. ''Go home, tell Robert you both need to jump. I will try to hold as much as I can.''


    ''No, no, you come with us!''; Eske exclaimed. ''Please, please, don''t go anywhere. Please! What happens if you disappear?''


    ''Eske, baby, listen to me, listen to my words carefully. You always find me. Do you understand?''


    ''Why?''; he asked.


    ''Repeat it. You always find me.''


    ''I always find you?''


    ''That''s how it works. You can''t live in a vacuum. You need to go now!''


    ''Did you call me Baby?''; Eske asked. ''You never called me that!''


    Nona chuckled. ''Go!''


    ''But you did call me baby, right?''; he asked. ''And I''m not mad at you for calling me that. I like it.''


    ''Go! Now!''


    <hr>


    ''We need your help, Mr Schrodinger.''; explained Horatio: ''There is a dead body in my friend''s living room.''


    ''I know. So, what?''


    ''Oh good god, finally. Will you help us?''


    ''Yeah yeah, whatever you want.''


    ''Thank you, thank you very much.'' Horatio said gratefully into the phone. ''So what exactly is your plan? Because we tried to dissolve it in thin air by closing it in the bathroom, but it didn''t disappear.''; explained Horatio realising how ridiculous he sounded: ¡®It didn¡¯t work.¡¯


    Schrodinger laughed on the phone for quite a bit. ''Don''t worry, pal. It will vanish sooner or later. No need to do anything. If it doesn''t disappear, it will be gone when your timeline is deleted. Everything is fine. Just enjoy yourself with the time you have left.''


    ''What, I don''t understand.''


    ''Thank you for contacting the Pi WTL department. Your call is important to us. Remember, today is the tomorrow Pi worried about yesterday. Until next time we meet.''; the call dropped.

 01:12 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    The 1980s were the age of computers, Pac-man, MTV and especially Back to the Future. Robert and Eske arrived in 1982, a few months apart from each other. They met at the exact same apartment and continued their lives as it was 1961 with perks. Eske finally finished his degree in Mathematical Physics, even though he was still not sure how he pulled it off. And it left him with more questions than answers. As for Robert, he started to work as GP, General Practitioner. in a clinic down the street. Their lives were pretty much the same but with no Nona. And with Robert, going out late at night and returning with his shirt collar smudged in red lipstick.


    ''Eske! Dinner! Buddy! Are you coming or what?''; Robert entered the dark room to find Eske curled in bed watching TV. ''Eske? Are you listening?''


    ''I''m not hungry, '' he answered, looking blankly at the screen.


    Robert sighed loudly and sat next to him. They stared into the screen for a moment until Robert broke the silence: ''You can''t stay like this.''


    ''Like what? I''m just watching a movie.''


    ''What movie?''


    ''Back to the Future.''


    ¡®Again?¡¯ Robert turned off the television, which caused Eske to lie on his back, staring at the ceiling. ''I don''t want to have the talk again.''


    ''Buddy, I don''t get you. You have a degree now, and girls are crazy about you. You even have friends, don¡¯t you? What the fuck are you doing?''


    ''You wouldn''t understand.''


    ''Come on now,'' Robert said, turning around and putting both hands behind his head. He looked over at Eske''s face, which seemed so far away. His eyes were unfocused as if nobody was at home up there. ''You think I never fell in love and had to drop everything behind me for the next jump? Do you know how many jumps I have done since I remember? Well, I don''t know, buddy, it gets to a point you stop counting.''


    ''How do you do it?'' Eske asked. ''Because I can''t. I tried. I fucking miss her.''


    ''What about this map of yours? Do you think I want to jump for the rest of my life? Not knowing when I will land? Have you thought that maybe others would like to settle down, build a family, a place and time to call home?''; Robert shook his head slowly. ''I know you think it is love. I know it is hurting you. But it has been three years, and you are closed in your room now for a month. It''s not love. It''s an obsession.''


    Eske didn''t answer, just listening to his friend. ''I know how first love feels, but... I never met someone that ended up with their first love. Your story shouldn''t be about a boy that fell in love with a girl. Your story should be the story of a boy who could hear numbers.''; he tapped Eske''s shoulder. ''Now come on, dinner is getting cold.''


    It took two weeks before Eske decided to leave his room and another for Robert to convince him to seek help. Professional help and Eske accepted. The appointment was in the clinic where Robert worked. He set him up with a psychiatrist he knew. And there he was, sitting down on an uncomfortable designed leather couch inside an office decorated with a wide range of plants. Many, many plants. Who has so many plants?


    The doctor looked at him behind her framed glasses, large white blouse and black pencil skirt. ''Great, do you remember when you are from?''; she asked casually.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ''Beg your pardon?''


    ''You don''t remember me at all, don''t you? Is okay, I think I have one of those faces.''; she removed her glasses as if it was easier to remember her face framed by bright red hair: ''Penny? Penelope Bonheur, from Professor Whiterabbit''s classes? Nothing?''


    ''How..., do..., are you?''; Eske asked. ¡®As I said, I don¡¯t.¡¯


    She laughed and put her glasses back on. ''There are many of us, you know? Well, I can start with what Bobby told me, or you can give me your story first-hand.''


    ''1929, the year I was born. I don¡¯t think I have siblings or cousins. What else, I like books, movies, video games are fun too.''


    ''Guess the tattoo is from...''; she didn''t have the heart to finish the sentence.


    ''Yeah, don''t like to talk about it. Is just a bad tattoo, nothing else.''


    ''What do you like to talk about?''


    Eske shrugged: ''Not even I know.''; he leaned forward, elbows on knees.


    Penelope nodded and waited patiently for him to continue.


    ''I''m not depressed.''; he whispered softly. ''But I feel angry.''


    ''I am still to meet a time traveller who isn''t. Some don''t even remember the year they were born. Some don''t have friends. There are those who don''t even jump into the same country. There are perks to being a traveller. We see it all. We don''t age after a while. We see many versions of the world. Same people with different lives. But we are like boats without anchors. It sucks. Doesn''t it?''


    ''I''m not depressed.''


    ''I didn''t say you were. You did. Why?''


    ''Isn''t it what it looks like?''


    ''Sleepless night, lack of appetite, no motivation, loss of interest and hyperfocus.'' She kept tapping her pen against her clipboard. ''You''re having trouble sleeping. What happened? Is it her? The cleaning lady?''


    ''Nona. Her name is Nona.'' Eske answered, watching Penny as she carefully wrote things down in her notes.


    ''And you''ve got nothing to hide here.''; she smiled sweetly. ''So why did you decide to visit me?''


    ''I don''t know.''; he replied, looking at his feet. ''I just want the pain to go away. It is not just about Nona. It is everything. I lost everything. It is not the war or the camp. I don''t remember my dad''s or my mum''s face. I don''t remember if I had friends as a kid. I only have two memories of that time. And whenever I have something, it is like it is taken away. I don''t know what to do.''


    ''Why do you think you need professional help? My help.''


    ''Because I don''t know what else to try. I don''t know what I am supposed to do.''


    Penny took her glass off, stood up and walked towards the window. ''I think I might know someone who can help you. I don''t think Bobby is right on this one.''


    ''Who?''; Eske asked.


    ''Promise me you won''t say anything to Bobby.''


    ''Who the fuck is Bobby?''


    ''Robert. Bobby, for short. It is sort of obvious. He told me you were some sort of genius, don''t really look like one.''


    ''That''s stupid.''; Eske frowned.


    ''It wasn''t a question.''; she raised an eyebrow. ''Before I tell you anything, you have to promise me three things.''


    ''Fine, but it doesn''t sound very professional.''; Eske shrugged again and folded his arms. ''Three promises.''


    ''First, I want you to be Bobby¡¯s best man, no matter what.''


    ''Okay.''; Eske mumbled and rolled his eyes.


    ''Second, you''ll be the godfather of my children. No questions ask!''


    ''I''m sorry, Penny, Penelope, this doesn''t make any sense. What, who, why? I have no idea what you are talking about.''; he shook his head.


    ''Congratulations, you''re an official Time Traveller, where and when nothing makes sense.''; she smiled. ''She works two blocks down here. It''s a place you can loan movie tapes.''; she said while pointing out the window in that direction.


    ''How..., you mean..., how?''; Eske was speechless. He couldn''t believe it.


    ''He didn''t want to tell you. I thought it was a bad idea. I think this still can be the story of the boy who could hear numbers and fell in love with that one girl. I believe Mr Eske Schrodinger that you can have it all.''; she winked at him, then walked away.


    ''Wait, wait!''; Eske was glued to the couch. He couldn''t move. He couldn''t believe it. ''Wait! Wait, Penny!''; he yelled out loud for her.


    Penny looked over her shoulder and asked: ''Yes?''


    ''What is the third promise?''; Eske asked nervously.


    ''Give us a map as a wedding gift.''; she smiled. ''I''m leaving now. I hope she is your muse and not just a cheap distraction. We all need a place to call home, I guess you too.''

 01:13 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    Eske left the clinic with a smile he couldn''t hide. With his hands in his pocket and an eager look on his face, he walked down the busy block at a hasty pace. When he stopped in front of the traffic light, it took two seconds. Two seconds to witness a guy''s body being crushed by the front of the truck. Two seconds to see the bone structure being crushed by the speed impact. Two seconds to smell the burnt rubber of the vehicle. Two seconds to hear the cracking sound of the crushed skull by the front wheel. Two seconds to be splattered with blood. Just two seconds. The accident was so sudden that Eske had no time to react or even think about what would happen next.


    He was just witnessing a sudden circus of screams, shouts for help, an ambulance, a girl in a red dress crying sitten on the pavement. People around her, holding her. She was screaming. Eske noticed she was pretty. Blonde with freckles on her face, he couldn''t see much more than that. While the police arrived, the continuous scream for help, the ambulance, the paramedics, people and more people.


    It all happened too fast. Eske didn''t know how to feel. He felt numb from head to toe. His heart beat hard as if something inside him wanted to burst out of his chest. While Eske saw the human sludge splashed in the middle of the road, all he couldn''t think of was: ''Fuck, I have to go home and change.''


    ''Hi, how may I help you!''


    Eske looked at the cashier, a joyful petit chubby girl with frizzy hair and a ravishing smile. ''Hi, is Nona here?''


    ''Nona?'' The young woman''s face lit up in surprise, her eyes sparkling from beneath long eyelashes. Her lips were soft pink and curved into a wide smile: ''I''m sorry, Sir, we don''t have anyone with that name working at the store. But maybe I can help you.'' She smiled warmly.


    Eske approached the counter and read the girl''s tag name: ''Marie Sue. Marie Sue, are you sure? I was told she would be here.'' Eske shook his head sadly: ''Please, Marie Sue, help.''


    The girl laughed awkwardly: ''I can help you choose a movie. Do you like sci-fi? Action? Maybe some romance or drama?''


    ''She has grey hair, black eyes, she always looks tired, and she is tall like this.''; he said, placing the side of his hand in the middle of his chest.


    ''Blade Runner is pretty good!''; Marie Sue giggled nervously. ''Or Tron!''


    ''She is very keen on cleaning and organising things.'' He pointed to one of the shelves. ''This looks like her doing!''


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.''Maybe Karate Kid, I watched it, and I''m in love.''; Marie Sue continue to ignore his questions. ''But maybe you like romance better? Dirty Dance has a very nice rating. Ideal for a date with popcorn!''


    ''Marie Sue? Please.'' Eske pleaded. ''I need to see her.''


    ''You are not here to rent movies, aren''t you?''; Marie Sue was upset. ''She is not here.''


    ''When does she comes back?''


    ''I am not allowed to provide that information.''; Marie Sue answered curtly.


    ''Then I''ll wait.'' Eske replied calmly. He sat on the sofa next to the big display screen, which showed clips from the latest blockbusters. There were no customers around, so he decided to watch some trailers.


    Marie Sue left the counter to face him: ''You can''t stay here!''


    ''Why not?''


    ''Because¡­''; she hesitated for a moment before speaking again. ''It isn''t permitted. You know what will happen if you do.''


    ''What happens?'' Eske asked curiously.


    ''I didn''t think that far. But it is very impolite.''


    He locked his eyes on her: ''Aren''t you scared to be all by yourself in this store?''


    ''What do you mean?''; Marie Sue frowned angrily.


    ''How many people work here? Two or three more besides you?''


    ''Four.''; she confirmed.


    ''So, you''re alone most of your shift, right?''


    ''Yes.''; she nodded slowly.


    ''So it means you are here alone, the night is falling, and dangers in this city are awakening. I saw a guy being smooshed by a truck today. Marie Sue, do you really want to stay alone in this empty store? Alone?''; he repeated.


    Her anger vanished suddenly as fear gripped her. She turned pale, and her mouth opened, but she couldn''t find any words. ''Is true I spend a lot of time alone.''; she whispered. ''But I can handle it! And there''s nothing wrong with me staying here late. It is my job, and it pays okay. Besides, I like the quietness of this place when everyone else is gone.''


    ''People nowadays can buy a gun everywhere, and with this economics, a few bucks is a huge deal. Do you have a gun, Marie Sue?''


    ''No.''; she shook her head.


    ''Do you feel safe?''


    ''Well, now that you mention it.''; she thought about it. ''What tells me you are not a danger yourself.''


    ''I''m as harmless as a kitty.''; he grinned.


    Marie Sue sat next to him, staring at the screen: ''She never mentioned she had a boyfriend.''


    ''That is because I was still unable to take her out.''; Eske explained. ''I want to change that. I might rent that movie you mentioned.''


    ''I mentioned so many.''


    ''Dirty Dancing. I think she would like that one.'' They stared at each other for a while, and then both burst into laughter.


    They continued watching the previews and making small talk. Night came quicker than expected, and Marie Sue''s shift was coming to an end. She stood up and thanked him for spending his evening with her. Then she walked away towards the exit sign. As soon as she disappeared, Eske could hear it, the whispering orchestra of number nine. Walking in small steps next to the counter. He didn''t dare to turn his face.


    ''Good evening, Sir. May I help you?''; her voice was smooth as the songs whispering by her numbers.


    His heart leapt into his throat. How beautiful she is, how much he missed her! He stood up from the sofa and faced her: ''Nona, do..., do you remember me?''


    She took two quick strides forward until they were standing nose to nose. Her eyes seemed to burn through his soul. She gave him a slow nod. ''What are you? There is nothing like you.'' She moved his face slowly to the left, then slowly to the right. She scrutinised every detail of his face: ''So unique.''; she whispered.

 01:14 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    She scrutinised every detail of Eske''s face: ''So unique.''; she whispered. Then, after a long pause in which the only sound was that made by her lips as they moved slowly and carefully over each word, she continued softly:'' So like...''


    Then came another silence. Nona looked at him with eyes half closed under their thick lashes. Her pupils were large but still discernible against the white lids above them: ''Have we met?''; she asked, walking behind the counter.


    Eske felt the disappointment welling up within his chest and throat. ''I''m Eske.''


    Nona smiled gently: ''Nona.''; she pointed to her name tag. The smile grew broader as she added: ''How may I help you?''


    Eske didn''t know what to say. He knew her notions of time were different from his. He knew, or at least he hoped, she hadn''t forgotten about him. Her head right now was in a time-space where they didn''t yet meet. He had absolutely no idea how to break the ice, and asking her to kiss her didn''t seem a good idea. ''Would you like to go on a date?''; Eske had absolutely no game with Nona.


    ''Are you walking in every store asking girls on a date?''; Nona asked sarcastically. She then said more seriously: ''What can I do for you today? Movie wise.''


    ''Everyone is ignoring what I say today.''; Eske replied sadly. His voice cracked slightly when he spoke: ''Let''s imagine we have already met, and let''s imagine that I actually asked you on a date, but something happened, and we had to postpone it.''


    ''Why would I postpone it?''; Nona inquired curiously.


    Eske shrugged: ''Who knows why anyone does anything?''; he laughed nervously: ''That''s not really important anyway because here are my questions.''


    ''Okay,'';


    ''How does time taste here? Is it still tomato-ish?''; Eske paused awkwardly before continuing: ''Are you still able to drink coffee? You said it tastes bitter no matter the timeline.''


    Her eyes got wider at Eske''s every word. It seemed like she understood everything he''d just said perfectly. She answered his first question easily enough: ''Time here tastes like bland paper mache. Everything tastes like paper.''; Nona answered.


    ''Does it allows you to eat?''; Eske queried next.


    ''Not really. But how do you know these things?''; Nona asked, leaning toward the counter.


    ''We met before.''; the words hung in the air between them.


    ''Were we..., hum, did we...?''; she asked, swinging her index finger between them.


    ''Why you ask? Is it because you think I''m handsome? Charming?''; he asked, smiling widely.


    The girl nodded: ''You asked me on a date five minutes ago.''; she giggled.


    ''Oh, yeah. Well, the answer is not yet.''


    Nona frowned deeply, and her brow wrinkled into an unreadable expression: ''Why not?''; she demanded.


    Eske sighed: ''Because something came up.''; he didn''t feel the need to remind her what happened exactly. How would she react to knowing he killed a man out of pure rage?


    ''But I said yes?''


    Eske shook his head: ''You said okay. I take it as a yes.''


    There was another long silence while both stared at one other across the countertop. Then Nona leaned forward again, this time putting her elbows down on the tabletop: ''Okay.''


    ''Okay?''


    ''Yes. Okay.''


    ''So we have a date?''


    ''If you want to call it that.''; she smiled: ''We have a date.''


    A wide grin spread over Eske''s face. He reached out and took hold of her hand: ''Great!''; as he pulled her hand, her sleeve went up, revealing black ink on her forearm. He looked intrigued. With his finger, he pushed her sleeve up: ''What is this?''


    ''Oh, that?''; she turned her forearm to show him: ''I have no idea.''


    1-5-9-2-6-5-3-5-9 were inked meticulously on her skin, aligned symmetrically with clear lines. ''Why did you do that?''; Eske asked, pointing to the numbers.


    ''I don''t know. I just know it is really, really, really important to me. It feels like an address or a phone number. Something I can''t forget, but didn''t work.''; Nona explained.


    Eske removed his blazer and put it over the counter. He started to roll his sleeve and placed his forearm next to Nona''s. His numbers were scribbled, unaligned, as if a toddler drew them. ''Could this be why?''


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.''Maybe.''; she thought aloud. ''Are you sure nothing happened between us?''; she asked.


    ''No. Nothing happened between us.''; Eske said. ''Yet.'' He didn''t realise their fingers were tangled around each other.


    ''Good.''; Nona replied, her face turning red. ''I guess.''


    They stood there in silence, looking at their forearms inked until Eske broke it: ''I really fucking like you, Nona.''


    Their first date, official date was in 1985, evening. Eske decided to take Nona to a drive-in movie. He had no particular film or programme in mind. He just wanted some excuse for driving out of town and spending time with her alone. None of them paid attention to the big screen. They laughed and talked about nothing and everything while eating popcorn.


    ''Favourite dessert?''; he asked.


    ''Tiramisu.''


    ''That makes sense.''


    ''Yours?''


    Eske smiled at this. ''My mum''s ?ppelklatzen.'' He didn''t realise he still had that lost memory of his mother somewhere in his mind.


    ''What is it?''


    ''Is like a sort of apple pie.'' Eske remembered how she used to bake these pies on Friday before the weekend started.


    ''Do you miss them?''


    He felt an unexpected twinge of loneliness over that question: ''I don''t remember them. Just some vague, blurry little pieces of images in my head.''; and then he added quickly: ''What about you?''


    Nona shook her head slowly, saying, ''I don''t know. I have this feeling I do have people who care about me, and they are probably looking for me. But names, faces, I don''t know. I must have had a family at some point. I wasn''t born from thin air.''


    ''I''m sure they are.''; Eske said, brushing her hair behind her ear. The gesture made him feel strangely happy. It seemed so natural, so right. To touch her. Then suddenly, there came into his mind those words which were never spoken aloud by anyone else but himself yet somehow conveyed their meaning perfectly clearly: ''You''re...'' But he did not finish the sentence. Instead, he took Nona''s hand and kissed it.


    ''So, you... hum, what else you like?''; she was stammering.


    Eske chuckled, she looked embarrassed, and he found it adorable: ''I like to read. Movies too. I think I like stories mostly.''


    She nodded slowly. ''Me too''.


    ''Am I making you feel uncomfortable?''; he asked.


    ''No'', she replied. ''It feels nice.'' She glanced down at their hands entwined.


    Eske looked outside the window: ''How long did the movie end?''


    ''I have no ideas. There seems to be no car outside.''


    The silence between them grew longer than usual as they sat in the darkness and started to laugh. None of them even knew what movie they were supposed to watch. Eventually, Eske broke the quiet: ''Did you enjoy yourself?''


    ''I did. You?''


    ''I was thinking about where I should take you next time. So yes, I really liked it.''


    He turned the engine on and drove Nona back home. Arriving at her building, he parked his car and opened Nona''s door: ''Well, this was fun.''; she said, looking at him.''


    ''It was.''; he said with a smile and his hands in his pocket.


    ''Well...''; she paused nervously.


    ''I''ll see you tomorrow.''; he suggested.


    ''Oh...''; escaped from her disappointed lips: ''I guess so.''


    ''Have a good night.''; and Eske ran back inside the car, driving home.


    When he finally parked his car in his street, he bumped his head against the wheel. ''You fucking idiot!''


    Once more, he turned on his car, rear the wheel and drove back to Nona''s place. He didn''t know which floor to ring, so he rang them all until someone opened the door. When Nona, in her shirt and shorts, answered, he jumped up, smiling excitedly. ''Hi!''


    ''Hey! What happened? Why are you here?''


    ''Because I forgot...''


    ''And what is wrong with you? You said you had a good time. You even brushed my hair! Why? Am I not pretty? You don''t feel attracted to me? Did you change your mind? Why would you say you take me on another date if you don''t like me?'' Her voice sounded angry. Eske tried to calm her down, but she continued without taking a breath: ''Did I say something wrong? Or..., what made you change your mind? I mean, why...''


    Eske grabbed her face with his two hands, staring directly into her eyes. ''I love you.''


    There was a moment of complete shock and disbelief. ''What?''; Nona gasped.


    ''I am deeply in love with you.''; he repeated firmly.


    ''So why did you...''


    He didn''t let her finish and leaned forward slowly until his lips touched hers. She stood frozen. He kissed her slower, tasting every inch of her soft mouth. His heart thumped hard when she began kissing him back. Suddenly she stopped and pulled away from him. ''Peppermint.''; she whispered.


    ''What?''.


    ''You taste like peppermint.''; she pulled him by his shirt and locked her lips on his once again. This kiss was different. More eager. It lasted as a short forever. Both of them were breathing heavily.


    ''Why?''; she demanded after a few seconds.


    ''You swipe the ground under my feet. You make my hands sweaty and make me feel like..., I don''t know. I don''t have butterflies in my stomach, Nona, but kangaroos.''; he explained. ''Can I stay?''; he asked shyly. ''I don''t want to go home. I want to stay with you.''


    ''Yeah.''; she replied, pulling him closer.


    <blockquote>


    Little light Can you not see that little light up there?


    </blockquote>

 01:15 - The story of the boy who could hear numbers

    A whisper in his ear, a melody in tune with the clock''s ticking on the wall. With the mumbles of a low chorus, Eske didn''t want to open his eyes. Not yet. He was comfortable, her skin was warm, and her hair smelled like coconut and honey oil. ''Five more minutes.''; he mumbled.


    Her fingers were twirling a lock of his hair, and she yawned, spooning closer to him: ''Coffee?''


    ''Are you going to make some?''; he whispered back.


    ''No, I was suggesting that you make it.''


    ''Depends.''


    ''Of what?''


    ''Marry me.''


    ''I go make coffee.''; she kissed his lips and left the bed.


    He heard her footsteps as they crossed the floorboards, the coffee machine starting to drip drop by drop and the sound of the fridge opening and closing. He left the bed, joined her, and leaned against the kitchen doorframe: ''Why?''


    ''We spoke about it, baby.''


    ''I have been asking you for the past year, and I''m not going anywhere without you. You love me, and I love you. Nona, please, let''s get married.''


    ''And then what? You want toast, baby?''; she plugged the toaster on and prepared the bread.


    ''And then we get a house, with a pool, a yard so the kids can play. And be happy.''


    ''When?''


    ''When you want. I''m more than ready!''


    ''I mean when.''; she looked at him thoughtfully. ''Because you and I know this timeline is bland. It tastes like nothing. As we both know is a matter of time before our next jump. Robert and Penny are already planning. In a couple of years, if we don''t jump, we need to change city because you and I, we don''t age, and people will notice.''; she stuck to bread on the toaster and continued: ''You think I don''t want a family, kids and cats?''


    ''Cats?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''But cats?''


    ''One cat.''


    ''If I say yes, will you marry me?''


    She laughed: ''Are you kidding?''; she leaned against the kitchen counter: ''I''m serious. I don''t want to have kids who get lost. Travelling to when we don''t know.''


    ''I''m working on it.''


    ''I know you are. ''


    ''What if we don''t have kids?''


    ''What if we don''t marry?''


    ''That would suck.''


    ''Exactly''; she smiled and put butter on the toast. ''So let''s do this properly. First, we find a place where it doesn''t taste like fucking paper. And then we talk about us.''


    ''I love you, you stubborn woman.''


    Nona chuckled: ''And I love you.''; she gave him a plate with the two pieces of toast and a fresh mug of coffee. ¡®Mister-will-not-take-no-for-an-answer.¡¯


    ''You don''t eat?''; he asked, expecting one of the buttered slices was for her.


    ''I''m not hungry. Coffee is enough. I¡¯m good.''


    It was getting worse. Nona was not having time incidents, but the taste of time was getting so bad that she couldn''t eat anything without vomiting. He had noticed she was losing weight and felt worthless, not knowing what to do. Or how to help.


    He went to the living room, where they displaced all furniture to give him four walls as empty canvas, and he would wait. Wait for the numbers to talk to him. But numbers have been mumbling, whispering, like voices of children playing hide and seek. She sat on the floor next to him. Just drinking coffee.


    He looked at her, gazing distracted at the blank wall. She wanted to help him, and he loved her for that. He still loved her numbers, floating, flashing tunes and harmonious chorus. And the more he looked at her, the more he could hear them. His eyes drifted to her wrist tattoo they made together four years ago: E.S. N.P., which made him smile. Daydreaming for the day she would simply say yes.


    ''Say hi to daddy.''


    Eske slowly stood up from the kitchen chair, he kept looking at Nona, but he knew that voice. ''Nona, did you say something?''


    ''No, why?''


    Her voice, the voice, was louder than any other number, silencing them softly. ''1944.''; a smooth voice, with a slight tone of sleepiness just like Nona¡¯s. Eske liked it. But it didn''t make any sense. ''The first nine decimal digits of PI. ''The voice continue, saying random things.


    ''Because I can hear you.''; he said, walking backwards as if trying to catch that the better.


    ''I''m not saying anything.''; she looked at him pacing around the room.


    ''The first nine decimal digits of PI. The first nine decimal digits of PI. The first nine decimal digits of PI.''; it repeated itself over and over and over again.


    ''Baby, are you all right?''


    ''Pi.''; he whispered incredulously. ''No, that can¡¯t be. It can¡¯t be that simple.''


    ''Eske, my love, you are scaring me.''


    ''We had the answer all the time.''; he tried to keep calm. ''It''s pi.''


    ''What does pi mean?''; she asked, confused.


    ''No.''; he took her hand. ''Look at your tattoo.''


    ''E.S. N.P.''; she turned to look at her arm.


    ''No. The other one.''


    ''159265359?''


    ''Yes! You told me once it was an address or a phone number. Remember?''The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ''Is that pi?''


    ''Not exactly.''; he took one of the markers left on the floor and wrote 3.14. ''So this won''t mean anything, but let me explain.'' He continued to write the decimal 3.14159265359 and so on and stopped to a point: ''I don''t know the rest by heart. So one thing I learned is everything is a number, a dot. You gather dotes you can build a line, a line, a shape and so on. Now, to every single atom, there is a number. We perceive space and time as numbers. This is the logical way of thinking. You go to one until infinite. But pi is different.''


    ''But what is it?''


    ''Is not much what it is, but how it is. So pi is the ratio of the circumference of any circle to the diameter of that circle. Regardless of the circle''s size, this ratio will always equal pi. In decimal form, the value of pi is approximately 3.14. But pi is an irrational number, meaning its decimal form neither ends nor becomes repetitive. You see?''; Eske showed his scribbling on the wall.


    ''What does it has to do with how timelines are set into space?''; Nona asked, not following at all.


    ''There is always something left, like when you create a fractal, it will spread into the continuity of the centre as mini-replicas but always something different with no real pattern. The numbers don''t repeat themselves. In that case, we just need to understand the direction. Once we have it, we can jump back and forward.''


    ''Is a map with no names yet?''


    ''Yes!''; he grabbed her hands excitedly. ''This is what we''ve been looking for! We found the key. The equation allows us to travel through time, from one timeline to another, without getting lost!''


    ''When do we start?''; she asked, hopeful.


    ''I will call Robert, and we can alternate jumps and keep on the records.''; Eske started counting off the days in his mind.


    ''No.''; Nona shook her head. ''I''ll do it.''


    ''No, no, Nona is too dangerous for you.''


    ''No, I''m fine. I am more used to jumping than you both, and besides, I''m a Space-Time Vortex. I don''t need doors to jump.''


    ''Nona, what if you forget?''; he asked, afraid of the possibility. ''Or you get lost? What if you end up in something and you can''t return?''


    ''I have my arm. I''ll know how to find you. I always do.''; Nona answered confidently. ''Besides, I''m not alone.''


    ''What?''


    ''I always have part of you.''; she touched her right wrist. ''I carry your memories, thoughts, love, everything.''


    ''And your imagination,'' he corrected her sarcastically. ''I don''t like this.''


    ''Trust me. It is going to be fine. I''ll be away for five minutes.''


    Eske agreed that day to explore the unknown with the love of his life, but he couldn''t shake off the feeling. As if she was about to walk across a bridge ready to collapse. He should have said no.


    Eske and Nona agreed on a daily schedule to perform the jumps. Forward and back, each jump had to last less than five minutes, and there must be at least a 30 minutes rest. Those were the rules. Short and only one timeline at a time. It would be a slow process, but Eske wasn''t willing to put Nona in danger just to win over a couple of days, months or years.


    ''How long?''; she said, panting.


    ''311, this is not okay.''; Eske answered, locking the time: ''Nona, we said 5 minutes. 300 seconds!''


    ''I''m sorry I tried.''; she replied.


    The two stood still, in the middle of the living room, for another minute or so until Eske decided that he could go no farther today without losing his mind completely. ''You''re lying. Please don''t lie to me.''


    ''I''m not!''


    ''How many?''; he insisted.


    ''Only one. I swear.''; Nona''s voice cracked at the end of her lie. ''Three.''


    ''Baby, this is not what we agreed! This is not what we agreed!''


    She looked up into his face with watery eyes as if pleading with him silently. ''But I jumped fast and back. We never got this far.''


    Eske hid his face with both hands: ''Nona, you are going to be the end of me.'' He was losing it now. She reached out to touch his shoulder and drew away again when it seemed like an invitation. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. ''I''ll try harder next time.''


    ''Please don''t do this again. Don''t overjump. Don''t lie. What the fuck am I going to do without you. Don''t do this to me!''


    Her voice came from behind him, soft and soothing. ''It is safe. Baby, I can even show you. Eske, look at me.''


    He turned around slowly and saw that her hair had fallen down her shoulders. There was a little smudge of dirt on her cheek where the sweat trickling between her breasts ran off her skin. His heart stopped beating for a second as he gazed upon the vision before him.


    ''It''s a spiral. When I jump in pairs, I jump several curves. We are at the extremity of a fractal and need to go up. And at this point, we are jumping down. I can''t go up if I don''t jump the curves.''; Nona explained with her most soothing voice. ''I can draw it for you if you want to.''


    ''Are you trying to seduce me with math?''


    ''Is it working?''; she smiled sweetly.


    ''You might have unlocked a new kink. I didn''t know I had.''; Eske laughed through his angry tears, kissing her softly.


    ''I need to take a shower.''; she whispered.


    ''Is that an invite?''; he asked but remembered: ''I''m still mad.''


    ''I know a way to fix that.''; she grinned wickedly.


    ''Oh, do you?''


    ''Come here.''; she beckoned him while her clothes dissipated into black particles, vanishing in the air.


    ''Fuck.''


    ''How long?''; she sat on the floor, trying to catch her breath: ''How long?''


    ''298 seconds.''


    ''Okay.''; Nona had a hard time catching her breath.


    ''How many?''; he asked, massaging her shoulders.


    ''You are going to be mad.''


    ''I won''t. Just tell me the truth.''; Eske said, kissing her sweated hair.


    ''Four. I almost reached the fifth but didn''t want to go up the 300. But I was so close. So close.''; Nona sulked. ''Eske, I was so close.''


    ''We agreed on a maximum of two. You jumped double and in time. I''m so proud of you. So, so proud.''; said Eske holding her face. What he wasn''t saying was that he was relieved that she had returned. It was a sour feeling he couldn¡¯t shake off.


    She smiled at him through tear-filled eyes as they kissed again and then fell asleep with his arms around her. When the following day dawned, however, Nona couldn''t move. Her knees were swollen, her feet hurt and she was simply exausted. ''No jumping today. We take the day off.''; Eske demanded.


    ''Will you spend the day in bed with me?''; she asked, grinning.


    He laughed gently. ''Nona, are you...''; he wasn''t sure how to put the question.


    ''Yes,'' she replied firmly with sly gaze. ''Why? You don''t want me?''


    ''I want you all the time, is just..., you have been especially willingly a couple of times a day if not more. And I''m not complaining, but it has been increasing.'' He stopped when she lifted herself from his embrace.


    ''Is something wrong?''; she looked worried.


    ''Nothing''s wrong, only I thought perhaps...'', he paused, looking for the right words. ''Love of my life, your knees are swollen from the jumps. I think you just need to rest.''; he added carefully.


    ''Okay, but can we still spend the day in bed?''; she asked with doe eyes.


    ''Of course!''; he said, less tense. Nona giggled while he got inside the bed and pulled back the covers. She curled herself against him, one hand on his chest, her head resting upon his shoulder as she kissed and nibbled his neck, then his jawline to his earlobe. She whispered in his ear: ''What about now?''; her legs closed around his waist, and he thrust forward, gasping in surprise at its suddenness.


    ''This was a trap, wasn¡¯t it?''; he chuckled. ''One day, you''ll be the end of me, Nona!''


    Eske looked at the wall and the patterns Nona tried to draw. He still was missing to see a proper navigation map. So far, the lines and curves seemed chaotic. It was almost as if something was missing between those jumps. Nona insisted that they were spirals, and she was jumping the curves trying to get up. However, he couldn''t see it.


    ''I''m ready!''; she said, adjusting the lace of her sneaker.


    ''What about your knees?''


    ''Good as new!''


    ''Nona?'' Eske asked hesitantly. ''Are you sure you''re not going too fast? You don''t want to overdo this.'' He had noticed how tired she looked.


    ''I''m good and ready. Let''s do this!'' She was pumped almost electric. There was something off, but he couldn''t point out what, and Nona looked happy. What was he worried about? The girl would never hurt herself.


    ''300 seconds, you hear me?''


    ''Yes, Sir!''


    ''Don''t overdo it!''


    ''Yes, Sir!''; she answered, kissing his lips.


    ''Come back to me.''; the words escaped his mouth.


    She didn''t react to them. She just said: ''See you in five minutes!''


    Eske saw her shape dissolve into black particles floating in the air and disappearing as if she were never there.


    Five years had passed, and Nona still didn¡¯t return...

 02:01 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    ''Alice, stop following me!''; the boy shouted as if running away from the girl. ''I''m done! I''m fucking done!''


    A couple was fighting on the side of the busy road. It was visible to any outsider he was trying to avoid the girl''s advances.


    ''You can''t do that!''; she cried in the middle of the pavement: ''You can''t do that!''


    ''Alice, I''m done. I want to break up. Please accept it!'' He spoke with a strange sort of despairing tenderness: ''I think it is the best for both.''


    She stared at him as though he were insane: ''Why? Is it because I didn''t want to have sex with you? I told you I need time!''; she was sobbing from rage or disappointment. She couldn''t understand herself. The tears rolled down her cheeks that she didn''t clean: ''Is it someone else?''


    ''No, Alice.'' His voice broke on his words, and now his own eyes filled too. They stood together next to the traffic light. The boy gently placed a hand over her shoulder and said his last words: ''I don''t love you anymore. I''m sorry.''


    It took two seconds for Alice to see red. In two seconds, she slapped him with all the strength she had that it ended up pushing him to the road. Two seconds to see the bone structure being crushed by the speed impact. Two seconds to smell the burnt rubber of the vehicle. Two seconds to hear the cracking sound of the crushed skull by the front wheel. Two seconds to be splattered with blood. Just two seconds.


    But those seconds would haunt Alice forever. And on auto-pilot, she screamed her lungs out. Shouting for help, crying all her theatrical despair while she sat on the pavement in her new red dress covered in Day''s blood. People appeared around her, holding her. Alice only saw flashes of people around her, holding her. The ambulance, the paramedics, people and more people. And him, a tall man in a dark suit, long hair waving with the wind and eyes as golden as the sun. She would always wonder since that day, did he see what truly happened?


    <hr>


    ''How bad is it?''; Alice interrupted the silence. ''Is there any chance that we can beat it again?''


    The doctor looked at her and hesitated: ''I don''t think so. I''m sorry to be blunt about it, Alice.'' Robert closed the folder and placed it over his desk. ''I can recommend radiation therapy, but with the time you have left, do you want to be going through this process?''


    ''How long do I have if I do chemo?''; she asked. Robert paused again before answering. She could see he was torn between duty as a physician and the compassion facing another human while giving their dead sentence: ''Maybe one year, maybe a bit more.''


    ''What would you do, Robert, in my place?''; she asked suddenly. The question startled him into looking straight back at her for an instant, then away again. ''I would fight the crap out of it. I''m married, and I have a friend who needs me more than ever. I couldn''t give myself the luxury to give up, even if I knew that it would decrease my quality of life. I just can''t imagine leaving Penny behind.''


    ''I have no one.''; said Alice quietly. ''But I don''t want to die, not like this.'' Her voice broke with those last words. Robert reached across his desk and took her hand briefly, patting it gently with his thumb.


    ''I''m sorry Alice, I really am.'' His eyes were wet now, too, though he tried to hide them from view.


    ''I will think about chemo. I just need to see what other options I have on the table.'' She stood up and turned towards the door, feeling strangely drained by their conversation. As she passed through the doorway, Alice wondered if she was paying the bill of her acts or yet those to come.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    <hr>


    <blockquote>


    Dear Dr Alice Dawn,


    First of all, we praise your dedication to continuing the promising work of Dr Delbert D. Whiterabbit. The death of this young scientist was undoubtedly a loss that cannot be appeased in the scientific world. It is with praise that we esteem your persistence and dedication, which are an example to be taken into account in the field of molecular medicine. However, and with a heavy heart, we hereby announce that your submission for experimentation of T-DNA black particles in human trials has not been accepted. Dr Whiterabbit''s initial proposal was undoubtedly a breath of fresh air in the field of human genome research. The idea that we could manipulate or collect temporal information in a DNA marker - T-DNA - is undoubtedly humanity''s dream. Still, the data provided through experimentation on mice and rats need to be more comprehensible and sustainable for us to give it a positive evaluation. The science is indeed fascinating, but at the present time, we cannot project this vision except in science fiction. I hope this letter does not divert you from your field of expertise. Medical science needs brilliant minds like yours, but hopefully, your next project will be realistic to the needs of humankind.


    Without further ado and with all due respect,


    1992, United Nations Scientific and Medical Research Commission


    </blockquote>


    <hr>


    Alice decided to go to the grocery store in her pink pyjamas under a long trench coat and her messy unwashed hair hidden under a hat. Today she hated everyone and everything, and she needed red wine. Red wine and cheese. She would get some nice ripe cheeses from the refrigerator case at the back of the market. She loved their big wheels with holes in them and bought herself an old bottle or two of that good red wine.


    She walked with her cheese and two bottles to the queue at the cashier''s counter. The line was enormous, but it moved steadily forward as people paid up and went away again into the rain-soaked streets. Alice had been waiting about five minutes when another woman joined the end of the queue behind her and asked her politely if she could skip the line.


    ''What?''; Alice said. ''Are you crazy? It''ll be your turn soon.''


    ''I am pregnant, and you only have three items. I thought maybe...''


    Alice interrupted her by saying: ''Is none of my concern if you are pregnant or not pregnant, lady. Close your fucking legs!''; Alice turned white with rage and started towards the pregnant woman who stood there awkwardly: ''Do you see me, lady, cutting line because I had cancer? No! Do you see me cutting the line because I am on the verge of losing my job? No! I wait in the fucking queue like every-fucking-else!''


    Everyone was looking at her, and Alice continued to fall into the rabbit hole: ''I am so sick of people taking advantage of me. I work hard! I work so fucking hard I don''t have a fucking life. I don''t even remember to get fucking laid. And then, they had the audacity! The fucking audacity to call my life work a fucking sci-fi novel. Four fucking times!. And now, I''m dressed like a hobbo, buying some cheese because I deserve each bit of this fucking cheese for a woman with her shit together to pass me in the queue. Why? Why do I have to give up my place? What did I do to not deserve this particular bloody spot on this queue? Why!''


    The pregnant woman looked frightened out of her wits and began apologizing profusely. But Alice kept raving until she paid and got outside and down the street where no one else was around except a young man with his dog and two men sitting in front of an apartment house smoking cigarettes.


    The dog, a giant german shepherd, lowered his butt and let out a big turd, ignored by its owner. Alice saw the big fresh turd left on the sidewalk, and exploded. She picked up the massive dung with her bare hand and threw it to the dog''s owner''s head. He jumped up, startled.


    ''You think I won''t hit you? You want me to beat you? Huh? Here is what you should do, you piece of shit. Pick up your fat dog''s shit!''


    He stared at her dumbfounded, and as he saw her approaching him, she was stopped by a police officer coming along the sidewalk.


    ''Ma''am, can we help you?''


    Alice had a temper.

 02:02- Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    Eske put the mop aside when he heard the knock on his door. He opened the door: ''Hey, bestie!''


    ''Hi Penny, come in.'' Eske''s voice was a little hoarse with weariness, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes as usual.


    ''Oh my god, the place is immaculate!'' She entered quickly: ''I was expecting a man cave.'' Her voice betrayed her surprise at seeing everything, books, comics, VHS and taps stacked neatly along one wall. She spied around while she spoke to him. ''Are you expecting someone?''


    ''Nona likes the place clean and tidy, so that is how she''ll find it.'' Eske smiled, then turned away, preparing some tea that Penny would usually request when she came to visit him. His manner had changed suddenly since their last meeting. He seemed more reserved than ever before.


    ''Eske, are you still waiting for her?''


    He nodded, stirring water into a kettle over the gas ring. ''Of course, I am.'' The kettle began whistling insistently, but instead of turning off or answering the whistle, Eske just continued staring down at the floor in thought until, finally, the kettle stopped its clamour. Then he stirred again and said quietly, almost sadly, ''Penny...''


    ''It has been more than a year now. You need to move forward, Eske. She is not coming back.''


    She saw tears glistening on his cheeks, the first time she could remember him shedding any real emotion since Nona left. But though they hurt to see, Penny did not want to embarrass him by saying anything about them. ''It is okay for you to go on with your life. It is okay to be happy without her.''


    ''Happy? How?'' There was anguish in his tone. ''How? I can''t even..., I don''t..., she will come back, I can''t do this. She must...''


    ''You''re doing fine,'' said Penny. ''We all love you here. We will help you if you need us. We won''t abandon you. Never forget that.''


    The kettle started to sing again, and Eske answered it briskly. ''I can''t hear them anymore.''


    ''What?''; Penny asked, even though she knew what he meant. But didn''t want to believe it.


    ''The numbers, I can''t hear them. They went silent. No matter what I say to myself, no number answers me.'' He shook his head slowly as he finished speaking, trying to rid himself of an intolerable burden.


    Penny couldn''t hide her deception: ''So, the map...''


    ''I can''t do it without her. I''m stuck with the little data we were able to gather but besides that... I''m useless.''; he laughed bitterly. ''I never in my life felt so small. I feel completely lost. I have literally no idea what the fuck am I doing.''


    ''You are not just the boy who hears numbers.''; Penny said gently. ''And you aren''t alone either. None of us knows why things happen the way they do, but we try our best to make sense of everything. That''s called hope. And I know you''ve got enough of it to keep going, right?''


    ''Penny, I can''t give you and Robert a map. I can''t. I promised you, but I can''t.'' He prepared two mugs with teabags and sugar for Penny. He didn''t like sugar on his.


    Penny had her eyes locked on the wall doodled with numbers and strange graphics she couldn''t understand: ''But would you still be Bobby''s best man?''; she asked, giving him an ornated envelope with Roberts and her name written in golden cursive.


    ''Already?''


    ''Time waits for no one. We want to get married, and we want you to witness it.''


    ''What about Nona?''


    ''Eske.''; she held his hands: ''Eske, Nona is gone. She is not coming back.''


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ''So, no luggage, huh?''; Eske looked at Penny and Robert standing in the middle of the living room.


    ''No luggage does are the rules.''; Penny said, clearing her throat. ''Eske, we...''


    Robert interrupted her: ''Buddy, you can still change your mind and come with us.''


    Penny turned back from Robert''s side and faced them both holding both men''s hands: ''You don''t need to be alone. Please, Eske, come with us.''


    ''I can''t leave her behind.''; Eske shook his head.


    Robert clicked his tongue: ''That woman will be the end of you. She is not coming back, Eske. It has been too many years!''


    Eske smiled sadly: ''I can''t go. I can''t.'' He was silent for a moment looking around them, gathering up his thoughts: ''I wish you both all the luck of the world and that you might finally find a place to call home. And¡­, and¡­, huh¡­ I''m really sorry I failed you guys. I really tried.''


    ''You owe us nothing, Eske. We know how much it meant to you too. And who knows, maybe one day the solution will just light up from nothing. But it pains me to leave you here. I don''t think you''ll be okay alone.''; Penny put her hand on his chest as she spoke.


    ''It''s time for me to grow up anyway. Don''t worry, Penny, I''ll be fine. From now on, only good things can happen! What could possibly happen that is worst than.. than... this.''


    He paused again, but they didn''t say anything more. The silence between them seemed unbroken by any other sound. They were quiet like everything else had suddenly ceased to exist. There was nothing left except him, and he felt intense loneliness growing inside.


    ''Honey, we should go.''; Robert whispered to his wife.


    ''But..., I..., look at him, Bobby, we can''t leave him like this!''; Penny was on the verge of crying.


    ''Come on, Penny, I''m fine. Seriously, I''m okay. It''s time, and you have stayed long enough because of me.''


    She nodded slowly, wiping away her tears with a sleeve. Then she kissed him lightly on the cheek and took his hands in hers: ''Goodbye, my friend. My fucking stubborn best friend''; she hugged him and whispered: ''I want so badly to be wrong. I want her back so badly.


    ''Me too.''


    She broke the embrace stepping back. It was Robert''s time to hug his friends, tapping his back: ''You better find us! You are too... peculiar for your own good! Do you hear me?''


    ''Thank you for taking care of me.''; Eske managed a smile through the tears.


    ''Don''t make me return to this timeline, Schrodinger. I would be fucking pissed. And if she returns, she better say yes this time. She has no idea what she is missing out!''; Robert added.


    Robert held Penny''s hand and kicked the door softly with random numbers. A sound that will remain echoing into''s Eske memories. His friends open the door whiteout looking back, disappearing to a new unknown timeline. Leaving Eske behind, stuck when time tasted like paper.


    There was a small arcade shop where Eske liked to spend his weekend afternoon. He really had nowhere else to go, and it was a good reason as any other to get out of the apartment. While reaching the front gate of the store, a cleaning lady was wiping the floor with a mop. Eske stopped just ahead and turned to enter the other side door to the shop. The cleaning lady said he could go through and even insisted. Still, Eske would rather not be dirtying what was already clean, but only some people think that way.


    While both were making small talk conversation, a random guy came up from behind her, stepping on the clean floor with mudded boots and rushing between them that even bumped Eske''s shoulder. Eske looked at the white tile stained with giant footprints of mud, and a wave of rage swept over him: ''Hey asshole!'' The man turned his head over his shoulder but was still walking. Eske walked behind him: ''Come back here!''


    ''What the fuck, leave me alone, dude!''


    Eske''s pace was faster than the stranger, and he grabbed him by his coat from behind, forcing him to follow. ''You are going to say to that lady that you are sorry and an idiot who doesn''t respect other''s people jobs!''


    ''What the fuck is wrong with you! Let me go!¡¯; the man tried pushing away. Eske hold him even tighter, forcing him to face it: ''Am I clear?''


    With no other words, the man''s head pumped Eske''s forehead, which was responded with a punch on his left. Eske has a temper and a very bad habit of using his fist as words. This time Nona was not there to stop him. Nona was not there to soothe him with her voice. No one was. And when he realised his hands were held by a police officer: ''Sir, you have the right to remain silent.''


    ''Fuck.''

 02:03 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    It was Alice''s turn to speak. She looked around the circle. She knew each face present. They were all of them grim and silent. None of them, like her, wanted to be here. This was a meeting for anger management, a bunch of misfits who were always angry. Grown-up adults sitten in a chair, forming a circle. The room smelled stale from lack of ventilation. It had been used as a gymnasium until recently when some new school building was built in another part of town. Now it stood empty except twice a week for angry, frustrated adults. And she was one of them.


    ''Hi, my name is Alice.''


    ''Hi, Alice''; replied everyone in unison.


    ''Today, I came back from my doctor, and it finally seems I beat cancer. I am cancer free.''


    Everyone clapped and congratulated her. She proceeded:''But I''m still pissed. I''m so angry. And I''m angry at myself for being angry. I shouldn''t be complaining. I''m one of the lucky ones, right? I had a fantastic childhood. My parents were loving and caring. And supporting, well, as long I was healthy. As a teen, I was an A in all my grades, I was popular, and I was loved. I had him. My high-school sweetheart. Isn''t what it would be called today? If he were still alive, we probably would be married by now or divorced.''


    A few people laughed at the last comment.


    ''I won''t ever know. Day was special. He was my best friend. He was handsome, funny, laid back and a genius in his¡­, field. I loved him, I envied him, and I couldn''t wait to build a life with him. And it was taken away from me, in front of my eyes. I saw him die. I didn''t even have time to say something cheesy like in the movies. It took me a while to get out of that pit. Huge fucking pit. Then came cancer, that shit was hard. Anyone, especially my parents, suddenly had a perfect marriage torn apart. Until this day, I believe they think it is my fault. I graduated, got my dream job, and dated, and every time I wonder if all those achievements are because I''m the cute girl with cancer. It fucking annoys me. So today, I came back from my appointment, and it was gone. I''m no longer the cancer girl. I''m not sure what I am today.''


    ''Do you think that perhaps you need to forgive yourself, to give yourself time to heal your heart?''; the counsellor, a half-bald man with a green cardigan, interrupted her with what she considered the most stupid question ever.


    ''What the fuck! Forgive me of what? That a truck smashed my boyfriend''s body until nothing was left? His fucking funeral had a closed casket, for fuck sake. Forgive me for what? To want to live? Is it not my fault my parents couldn''t manage to have a sick kid? Why the fuck should I forgive myself? That comment itself just makes me angry. Why should I be sorry just to exist?''


    She felt her blood boiling inside her veins. Her fists clenched up tightly. ''Is not my fault if everyone can''t handle their stupid shit!''


    The group went quiet. No one dared talk. But Alice wasn''t finished yet. A vein pulsed in her forehead. She was going to let loose everything she had held deep down since the accident:


    ''I hate everyone. Because no one is him. Do you think I wanted my bitter mum to hold my hand while doing radiation? No, I wanted Day! I wanted Day to look at me when I did my graduation speech. When I fucked the first time, I didn''t want that guy that I can''t even remember the name. I wanted Day. I don''t want to be here! I want to be with him! He was 23 at the time. He would be 33 now. And I am 30, and I still want him. I am angry because I lost him. I lost the love of my life. And I might be wrong. Maybe he would end up as an asshole. I don''t know. I don''t know! It was taken away from me. So, I''m sorry. I have nothing to forgive myself. I have every fucking right to be angry! I want to be angry. Otherwise, I will just be sad.''


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.There was silence. Some tears ran down Alice''s cheeks. Some of the others stared at her, recognising the pain. One woman put her arm on her shoulder and whispered something into her ear, which she pretended to hear but really ignored. ''And, you there with your phone, you are really pissing me off!''


    On the other side of the room, a man with long hair completely ignored her and was playing on his phone. He felt everyone''s gaze weighing on him and slowly lifted his yellow-golden eyes into her direction: ''I don''t need to look at you to hear you. And I agree.''


    Alice''s face went red: ''What?''


    The man put his phone in his jacket pocket and faced her:''You are right. People are idiots, especially when they don''t understand the feeling of having lost. Not something that is expected, like parents or grandparents, but on people we seed a future with. Those are hard because there is no goodbye or closure. And it isn''t your fault. You''re right. You didn''t push him in front of the truck. You miss him. That is an excellent reason to be pissed. I know I am.''


    He smiled at her and looked at his watch: ''I think we are done for today, isn''t it right, Mr Counsellor?''


    ''Hum, yes, but, hum¡­, is Matt, my name is Matt.''; the man tried to speak, but everyone was already standing up and leaving the gym.


    ''Who cares? Nobody is saving the world today.''; and he stood up, following the group to the exit.


    Alice saw him in front of the building, with an unlit cigarette hanging on his lips, searching in each pocket of his jacket, vest and pants. She dug quickly in her purse and, with a firelighter, approached him: ''Maybe I can help?''


    ''Oh, you again. That is unexpected for an ex-cancer girl.''; he accepted the lighter, puffed on the fag, exhaled a long line of smoke and returned it to her: ''Thanks, see you next week, I guess.''


    He was not really looking at Alice or anything else. Alice, from closer, could see his eyes dung into heavy black circles. He had very straight lines that gave him a stern expression, yet he was very attractive. His silked black hair was unusually long, hiding his face. But the most impressive was the colour of his eyes, so striking gold. She was not used to men nowadays dressing so formally on their day-to-day. He was wearing a suit with a vest and could notice his tie hanging out of his pocket. The clothes were clean but old-fashioned, which added even a more je-ne-sais-quoi.


    ''Are you waiting for someone?''; she asked.


    ''Aren''t we all.''


    ''I was thinking of going for a drink. Want to join me?''


    He looked at her curiously as if noticing something strange about her appearance, then shook his head: ''Are you trying to get me to hook up with you?''


    ''Oh wow, you are direct.''


    ''Yeah, I am. Look, Annie...''


    ''Alice.''; she interrupted.


    ''Right. Look, Alice, you seem nice, pretty and all, but I am not interested.''; he dropped the fag to the ground and stepped on it: ''So good luck to you, and as I said, see you next week.'' He turned away before she could reply.


    This is the story of how Alice met her future husband, the Time Traveller, Eske Schrodinger, the boy who could no longer hear numbers.

 02:04 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    ''Okay, class, remember the paper is to be submitted on Friday! And don''t forget to complete the exercise from page 36.''; Eske reminded his high-school class while he was cleaning the chalkboard. After every student had left the room and was distracted by his thoughts, Eske was interrupted by a woman. She came into the room uninvited and in very suggestive attire. ''Mr. Schrodinger, hi, I''m Anabel''s mother.''


    ''The meeting with the parents is scheduled every Friday with a two-day notice.''; he turned to her with his arms crossed, trying not to lower his gaze to her generous cleavage.


    ''Oh, I was unaware, but perhaps you might open a small exception. I''m not really here because of Anabel.''; she looked at him, flapping her fake lashes.


    He gave an uncomfortable smile: ''Well... Then I don''t see why we should talk at all.''; he observed her sitting on top of one of the front desks and added with a dry tone: ''And please do not sit on the furniture. The school''s rules are also applied to uninvited guests.''


    ''Oh! My, you are...''; she laughed nervously as she stood straight before him. ''There will be a party, adults only, and I thought that maybe you would be interested in joining in with me.''; she took off her jacket, revealing the white translucid blouse beneath it and continued: ''I''ll even pay for your drinks.''; she smiled suggestively.


    Eske did not answer immediately, so she said: ''You know what I mean!''


    ''Unfortunately, I do.''; he turned his back on her, continuing cleaning the board: ''Not only is your invitation professionally unethical as I can only imagine the discomfort that your daughter must feel imagining that her math teacher would be fucking her mum from behind.''


    ''Excuse me?''


    ''Oh, I wasn''t clear? Should I draw it?''


    ''I was trying to be nice! You walk around like a..., a..., a sad man!''; she pointed out at him accusingly.


    He sighed, bored: ''I don''t give a fuck what people think, don''t think. If they use me as a sexual fantasy when they fuck or masturbate, I really don''t give a fuck. Now about your daughter, she is a fine student. A very bright young lady, but Math is not her strongest point, but she seems to be top of her class in biology. Since the final exams for the science module will require her to have a high grade in Math, I would advise her to get a tutor. Maybe a female one so you can keep your panties up.''; he finished wiping the board.


    Since she was still standing in the middle of his classroom, he finally instructed: ''You may go now. We are done. Class dismissed.''


    <hr>


    Twice a week, due to parole, Eske had to go to this meeting for anger management, a bunch of misfits who were always angry. Grown-up adults sitten in a chair, forming a circle. The room smelled like sneakers'' rubber and stale from lack of ventilation. It had been used as a gymnasium until recently. Now it stood empty except twice a week for angry, frustrated adults. It was inside the school where he worked as a math teacher, so, a two-minute walk after the last class.


    Eske felt like an outcast here, especially today. He could hear an enormous tinnitus and had some issues with focusing. A sharp perpetual whistle that stuck in his sternum like a needle. He decided to not look at anyone and focus on a silly game on his mobile phone. It was a simple game of a snake eating apples, and the goal was to avoid it eating its own tail. So far, he has never won. A woman was speaking, complaining about every single thing in her life. The more she talked, the more the tinnitus grew bigger.


    She went off into a rant that no one truly wanted to listen to, but then suddenly she stopped abruptly and shouted: ''And, you there with your phone, you are really pissing me off!''


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.He raised his eyes directed at hers and couldn''t believe it. He was from far prepared for what he could see and hear. From her face sprinkled with freckles and her blond hair falling down her shoulder, he heard number nine. Only number nine. His favourite digit.


    His heart pounded like a loud drum. His breath came fast and short. He could hear her voice, Nona''s voice rambling words, short sentences, her laughter. Her music. After all this time, he could listen to his favourite number: ''I don''t need to look at you to hear you. And I agree.''


    The woman''s face went red as her dress: ''What?''


    Eske hid his phone in his jacket pocket and found himself unable to take his eyes off the numbers around her:''You are right. People are idiots, especially when they don''t understand the feeling of having lost. Not something that is expected, like parents or grandparents, but on people we seed a future with. Those are hard because there is no goodbye or closure. And it isn''t your fault. You''re right. You didn''t push him in front of the truck. You miss him. That is an excellent reason to be pissed. I know I am.''; he could barely breathe. He wanted the whole room to be silent so he could listen to nine''s symphony. He just wanted to hear.


    He smiled, looking at the crackling of colours, the glowing notes up and down. It made him beam.


    Realising that perhaps he was acting weird, he looked at his watch: ''I think we are done for today, isn''t it right, Mr Counsellor?''


    ''Hum, yes, but, hum¡­, is Matt, my name is Matt.''; the man tried to speak, but everyone was already standing up and leaving the gym.


    ''Who cares? Nobody is saving the world today.''; and he stood up, following the group to the exit. He needed a smoke.


    As soon he set his foot outside, he dug his pocket for a lighter with the fag hanging from his lips. Couldn''t find it.


    The woman in red with the orchestra of number nine was in front of him with a lighter like an uninvited saver: ''Maybe I can help?''


    ''Oh, you again. That is unexpected for an ex-cancer girl.''; he said, accepting the lighter, puffed on the fag, exhaled a long line of smoke and returned it to her: ''Thanks, see you next week, I guess.''; he couldn''t stand being near her. It felt wrong. Something was so off.


    ''Are you waiting for someone?''; she asked.


    ''Aren''t we all.''; he really didn''t want to make small talk.


    ''I was thinking of going for a drink. Want to join me?''


    He looked at her. She was strange. She was overdressed in red, with vivid lipstick and foundation hiding her cracked skin. He knew he should feel attracted by her. She was pretty, but no. He just felt terrified to hear Nona through this woman. As something is wrong with the whole picture. He shook his head: ''Are you trying to get me to hook up with you?''


    ''Oh wow, you are direct.''


    ''Yeah, I am. Look, Annie...''


    ''Alice.''; she interrupted.


    ''Right. Look, Alice, you seem nice, pretty and all, but I am not interested.''; he dropped the fag to the ground and stepped on it: ''So good luck to you, and as I said, see you next week.'' He turned away before she could reply. And as he walked away from her, so did the number nine''s voices fade away.


    This is the story of the boy who could hear numbers almost at the finish line of the happiest of all endings. But he didn¡¯t know, yet.

 02:05 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    ''Good morning Miss Dawn.''; said the receptionist bowing her head.


    ''Hello, Penny, did anything arrive this morning?''; she asked in a low voice as she entered the office and stopped by the counter.


    ''I''m Becky. Penny doesn''t work here for five years now. She got married and moved, remember?''; answered the girl with black hair tied up behind her neck. She smiled at Dawn, who raised an eyebrow.


    ''I asked you if I have messages, mail, anything for me, not about office gossip.''; she replied sharply.


    ''I''m sorry, Miss Dawn. Nothing so far.''; she added, lowering her eyes from hers.


    ''And get me some coffee. A matcha expresso, no sugar.''; Alice ordered.


    ''Yes, Miss Dawn.''


    Alice walked at a fast pace to her lab, which was on the top floor. She already wore her white coat and scanned her finger.


    Alice entered a room with the main focus on one high tank swirling what it seems dense black particles. The walls were made of metal plates riveted together into sheets, forming panels almost one metre wide all around the laboratory. On each side stood two long tables covered in microscopes, electron-microscopes, spectroscope tubes, glassware racks, and other apparatus.


    ''Hei, the queen of hearts is in the lab!''; greeted a young man standing beside Alice''s table while examining a sample through a microscope lens. He had short dark hair, brown eyes under thick eyebrows, a square face, thin lips, and broad shoulders. Vihaan Goan, a multi-faceted engineer. ''Cut with its head!''; said in a theatrical tone.


    ''Are we done?''; replied Alice rolling her eyes.


    ''I still have a couple of jokes. What''s the wrong, princess?''; he joked, still chuckling.


    ''Don''t call me princess! And don''t be sarcastic, either. Just do your job or leave my lab.''; she snapped irritably.


    ''If only life would be that easy, maybe call daddy. Oh, wait! That''s right. He doesn''t care. Uh, that must hurt.''; he remarked with volunteer sarcasm, again.


    She turned toward him and slapped his hand away from the microscope slide. ''Keep your filthy paws off my samples!''


    ''Your samples? Grow up, princess. Those samples belong to my boss for who I work, remember?'' he muttered, quickly stepping back. ''Oh, before I forgot, your request for human trial was denied.''; he added: ''Again.''


    ''What are you talking about?!''; she exclaimed angrily.


    ''They rejected your appeal. We can''t test further. It''s dead.''


    ''But it works!''; she shouted. ''It worked!''


    ''You can''t send them a report where you tested on yourself, princess. They would close the lab in no time.''; he explained. ''You¡¯ll have to find something else. Maybe you need to stop and rethink this whole project.''


    ''This was his work. I don''t want to lose it. And it works! You know it works.'' She stubbornly pointed to her chest.


    Vihaan turned his stool to face the tank containing a vortex of black particles swirling at 220km per hour. ''You don''t know what that thing is, where it comes from and what it can actually do. What data do you have so far?''


    ''Well¡­'', she began: ''We found out it exists in anybody as a marker on the DNA. And each one has its values.''


    ''Wrong, princess. You found some mice who don''t have it.''; he interrupted. ''So, there is no universal standard for it. It varies among people, animals and even plants.''; he said.


    ''You and I have it!''


    ''I have a marker of 0.2%''. It is nothing.''; Vihaan countered.


    ''56%, the mice sampled went from 60 to 80%. It cures cancer. It stops cells from the ageing process. This is a...''; Alice paused.


    ''A jump into the dark. You don''t know. And you can''t open a case just using your data.''; Vihaan stated firmly.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.''We could use you.''; she suggested.


    ''No way, princess.''; he declared. ''I''m good, thank you. Go find yourself a guinea pig.''; he said.


    ''This could safe the world.''; she pleaded.


    ''Dawn, you need to let it go. You tried several times. No means no. It may be time you focus on other ways to save the world.''


    ''I don''t want to let him go again.''; she whispered sadly. ''Not again.''


    <hr>


    She didn''t want to go today, but there she was, parking the car in front of the school building. She lighted up a cigarette, brushing her hair out of her face. She couldn''t remember the last time she felt utterly defeated. ''Fuck!''


    She opened the car door drop the burned bud to the ground, and there she was again, at a sad meeting of frustrated and unhappy grown-ups. *Just play your part, Alice. Just play your part.*


    She sat on her usual chair and saw everyone sitting down. Even he, the man in the suit, he couldn''t show more how detached he was from everything and anything around him.


    ''Well, good evening, everyone. I''m delighted to see everyone back. It is a great accomplishment to join this room. And it is a step further for growth, so today, let''s hear from Eske. Eske, the floor is yours.''; the counsellor looked at him. Eske was playing once more on his phone. He looked up reluctantly, looking around nervously like some little boy afraid of being scolded by an adult.


    Eske put his phone back in his pocket: ''Do I really need to talk?''


    ''No, you don''t have to, but everyone already did. Won''t you try to share with us why you''re here?'' The counsellor smiled encouragingly.


    ''I''m on parole. That is why I''m here.'' His voice sounded thin and dry. No other words came into Eske''s mind except those ones. They seemed inadequate but made people laugh.


    ''Would you like to elaborate?''


    ''I got into a fight and broke that idiot''s jaw. Got arrested, and here I am.''


    The counsellor nodded: ''Go on, we are all listening.''


    Eske looked around, and his eyes ended up locking on Alice. There was some sort of silent understanding between them, as they were the only ones to speak the same language. At least, that is how Alice felt.


    ''My girlfriend disappeared many years ago. I¡¯m starting to lose count. I don''t know what happened. I don''t know if she''ll come back. I don''t know what to do. I started to be in survival mode. Everything became dull, all days were the same, and life just tasted like paper, I guess. I end up becoming a math teacher. So, I work here. This is my workplace.''


    Everyone laughed again, and Alice did as well. She noticed he grinned, a sad short smile as if people were laughing at his own misery.


    ''I learned these years the difference between believing and hoping. I wake up every day hoping she comes back. I don''t even care what excuse or lie she''ll come up with. I couldn''t care less. I just hope she comes back. But I don''t believe that will happen, and as time passes and the world changes, that belief becomes stronger and heavier. And I think there is nothing sadder than to live in a world where dreams come to die.''


    Alice dived deep into Eske''s story. It was one of the most touching stories she had ever heard, although he never mentioned her name nor showed any sign of grief. Alice could see anger burning behind his eyes. Was it because he lost his love? Or perhaps the doubt devouring his soul made him hate himself and others? In either case, Alice wanted to say: ''I understand.''


    ''That''s the story. Nothing else to add. I was dumped and didn''t get over it. The end.''


    He leaned back on his chair with nothing else to say, and Alice realised how empty the air had become after he finished speaking. No sound filled that void now but the ticking of clocks. And she could swear he inhaled the silence.


    Alice saw him in front of the building, with an unlit cigarette hanging on his lips, searching in each pocket of his jacket, vest and pants. She smiled. She dug quickly in her purse and, with a firelighter, approached him: ''Maybe I can help? Again?''


    ''Oh, you again.''; he accepted the lighter, puffed on the fag, exhaled a long line of smoke and returned it to her: ''Thanks, see you next week, I guess.''

 02:06 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    Alice looked pretty, with a red dress and red lipstick. At least, that is how she felt. She entered the bar and ordered a whiskey on the rock. Better get drunk in a public place looking dashing than in her pyjamas with a stain of pizza and cheap red wine. She scanned around there for a familiar face, and there he was.


    Eske always seemed to be where he wasn''t expected. He sat alone at his table by the window, sipping beer from an open bottle and playing on his phone. It didn''t look like he had been noticed by anyone else, but then it would take some doing even to notice him sitting still as he did. He looked tired, he must have been half-asleep or something.


    She grabbed her drink and walked in his direction. As she came near enough, he turned toward her and smiled. The smile was not friendly nor unfriendly. Just neutral and distant, which suited her fine.


    ''May I?'' she asked.


    ''Sure.''; he said without much enthusiasm.


    ''I almost believe you are following me.''; she joked.


    ''I''m not.''; he replied with equal neutrality. Then added: ''I already said I''m not interested.''


    ''It was a joke. You seem to be everywhere I go lately.''; she told him.


    He shrugged: ¡¯Didn¡¯t notice.¡¯


    ''What are you playing?''; she inquired, pointing to his cell phone.


    ''Snake.''; he answered. And continued: ''I''m always losing.''


    ''I think I know the feeling.''; she said, sipping on her glass.


    ''Got dumped?''; he asked.


    She laughed: ''No, I didn''t even have a date. I thought drinking in a bar was less sad than drinking alone. So my date is actually with this''; and she raised her glass.


    ''Lucky whiskey.''; he complimented and raised his beer as well.


    ''You are not very talkative, are you?''


    Eske chuckled while drinking from his beer: ''Funny you say that. My friends always told me I was very chatty. I could talk, and talk and never got tired.''; he paused and continued: ''I especially used to talk when my girlfriend had a... hum... crises. Would distract her.''; and Eske''s voice trailed off, and he stared out the window, lost in thought. His eyes were empty yellow pools reflecting nothing. There was no one behind them now. Only emptiness.


    ''I''m really sorry about her death. I know how hard it can be.''; she tried to comfort him. But it only made him more silent.


    ''She is not dead.''; he whispered, his voice hollow and distant. The words sounded so strange coming from his mouth that they gave her goosebumps.


    ''Is that a wig?''; he changed the conversation.


    Alice looked at him, confused. ''A wig?''


    ''Yeah. Wig. You said you recovered from cancer, and your hair is already long, so is it?''


    ''Are you always that blunt?''; Alice asked, surprised. ''Why do you care if I wear a wig?''


    ''You sat here. You started the conversation. I''m keeping up. If you don''t like it, you can go.''


    ''Is not. I stopped chemo maybe three years ago. And tried an experimental treatment.''; she explained. ''That is why I feel like shit today. My request for human trial was denied.''; she paused, looking at the windows as well: ''Again.''


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.''Sorry.''; he nodded. ''What is the treatment based on?''


    ''If I explained to you. You wouldn''t believe me.''; Alice said, smiling weakly. ''But it works. Not sure what kind of effect it has on the long term, but it works.''; she sighed.


    ''I''m listening.''; he leaned forward and lowered his voice.


    ''Day, my dead boyfriend, collected a sample. I don''t know from where or what it is, but it is not registered in any database. We discovered that depending on each specimen, it exists as a marker in DNA. However, it has no standard. In ten mice, two of them had a value under 0.9%. However, if blasted with this sample, cells stop ageing, cells regenerate faster, but there are some side effects.''; she put her hand over her chest and frowned: ''The last time I took it, I went crazy, hallucinating, seeing things, I couldn''t sleep.''


    ''So, is a hallucinogen that cures cancer?''; he asked. ''Did you stop taking it?''


    ''I couldn''t handle the hallucinations. I started to have a constant bad flavour in my mouth. Before any hallucination started, I would feel these horrible cold goosebumps and have auditive deprivation for a couple of seconds. Then I would see things that made no sense.''


    ''Come again?''; he asked.


    ''One example is a little girl who has a cat, a dead cat. And all she was doing was to work to provide food for her cat.''; she described the image clearly. ''But she didn''t live on earth. The whole scenery was yellowish. It was awful. It was warm, dusty, and crowded. And all she could think was I must feed my cat.''; she shook her head. ''And she kept working. That''s what I saw. Over and over.''


    ''Sounds scary.''; he agreed.


    ''Yes, but it was getting worst. I don''t know if it is a twist in my mind or if it is some sort of vision. But that little girl hunted me for months. I saw some mice go berserker too. I have no idea if the sample acts upon individuals or if it''s a collective.''; she shivered.


    ''A collective?''; he asked. ''Like a hive?''


    Alice nodded slowly: ''Something like that.''


    ''Acting as a fungus?''; he suggested.


    ''No.''; she shook her head: ''I don''t know where Day got it, but he believed it was a residue of something. A recollection of... time.''; she paused: ''He believed that there are more versions of ourselves through time. And what he got was a sample of several times gathered in a unique sample. I sound crazy, don''t I? But he believed that time was a matter, and it could be calculated through an enzyme what probability we existed in the cosmos. He called it timeline footprint. Or T-DNA.''


    ''T-DNA?''; he repeated.


    ''Well, yes. It sounds stupid, but he was brilliant.''; she grinned sadly. ''Anyway, I am living proof I survived cancer and kept all my hair.''; she pointed to her head.


    ''What if it comes back?''


    ''I guess I will have new nightmares.''; she replied.


    ¡®You say it¡¯s black particles, like dark dust?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, that is an accurate description.¡¯


    ¡®The bad taste in your mouth, what was it?¡¯


    ¡®Like wet paper but mixed with stale water or something. Just thinking about it makes my stomach sick.¡¯


    ''Can I try?''; he offered.


    ''Beg your pardon?''


    ''You need a human trial, I''m offering.''; he said.


    ''How much money do you want for that?''; she asked suspiciously.


    He smiled: ''None. Let''s say I''m just curious,¡¯

 02:07 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    As agreed, Eske arrived at Alice''s lab first thing in the morning. It was Vihaan who greeted him and explained the procedure and how the trial would unravel. Eske didn¡¯t pay much attention as he stepped inside the room, he was blasted by noise, whispers, shouts, crying and songs. Their song. He saw her when his eyes locked over the tank containing the vortex of black particles. As if an echo of her was trapped inside the glass container. A woman, Nona, stared back at him, her face contorted, glitching between pain, smiling, crying, stoic or surprised, lips moving to some unknown song or chant which echoed through the room like thunderclaps on high mountainsides.


    ''It is incredible, isn''t it? That shit still haunts me.''; interrupted Vihaan. ''It is swirling by itself. The container is a complete vacuum. That shit is moving by itself like a tornado. By itself!''


    ''What?'' said Eske, surprised, staring at the maelstrom of sound and light. He hardly gave his attention back to Vihaan. Who, with a boyish grin which seemed almost obscenely pleased under these circumstances, invited him to sit: ''It moves alone?''


    ''Yup, like a badass rock star. I still can''t understand it. Boss, you have the biggest and greatest balls to put such a thing into your system. I mean, who knows what this is.''


    ''I don''t know either,'' admitted Eske. ''But I need to know.''; he whispered almost in silence.


    ''Ready? I need some blood samples for control, and then in two weeks, we see the effect it has on your DNA and if you didn''t grow an extra nose.''


    ''That sounds good,'' agreed Eske. ¡®Always wanted an extra.¡¯


    ''Sit there. I''m just gonna pick up a blood lancet in the storage room, be right back.''


    Vihaan left quickly, leaving Eske to contemplate his situation and all that he could see around. Shadows of Nona running around the room, the number nine blasting clear and loud, and Eske couldn''t stop feeling as if he was finally back home. One of the spectres sat next to him, smiling and making small talk about a movie they had planned to watch years ago. He couldn''t recall which one or if they did.


    ''You''re okay?''


    ''What?''


    ''You were staring at that stool and smiling. Sort of creepy if you ask me.''; said Vihaan preparing the needle. ''If something is wrong, just say so. We can stop at any moment, Boss.''


    ''No¡­ no problem here. Just thinking of old times.''


    ''Yeah, well, let''s get this done already, then.''


    At home later that day with a small bottle containing 15 pills. Transparent little capsules with swirling black particle dust. He took his jacket and vest off, dropping them on the couch. Eske filled a glass of water and swallowed one pill, just as the doctor ordered. And nothing.


    No number nine, no shadows playing around like in the lab. He took a slice of cheese from the fridge, which tasted just like cheese. Nothing changed. Except that he felt strange. Strange in a way, that he could feel something happening but didn''t happen. Eske felt terribly disappointed.


    He walked into his bedroom and sat down on the bed. Pulling out a cigarette pack and lighting up. Smoking slowly. ''This is so fucking disappointing.''; he thought. ¡®I¡¯m such an ass! What a fucking fool!¡¯


    Then looking outside the window towards the street where people are walking by, talking loudly. A dog barked once. More people are laughing, talking and joking around. Normal people and then nothing.


    An abrupt silence fell into the air. His apartment was covered in muted sound as dust laid over the furniture surface. A cringing cold goosebumps on his skin were followed by the exhale of black particles between his dry lips. And finally, the sticky taste of wet paper mache in Eske''s mouth. Not even the cigarette tasted as it should. Time was taking its form.


    Eske heard someone coming. Footsteps on hardwood floors. Someone came closer to him. A warm melody of his favourite number. It worked. Alice was right. It fucking worked!


    ''Good morning, love of my life.''; her soothing voice echoed in his ear.


    The apparition of Nona stood next to him, smiling gently like she used to. Her long messy hair shone behind her ear. She wore a white shirt made of cotton and nothing else, just as if she had just woken up.


    ''Did you sleep well?''; she asked, yawning, but didn''t wait for any answer. ''I''m going to make some breakfast. Toast? Pancake? Oh, wait, I think we are out of milk.''


    Eske followed Nona''s image to the kitchen. He leans against the counter, baffled, just looking at her and smoking. He held himself to not even thinking of touching her. The real Nona would be so mad at him to be smoking inside the house.


    He didn''t mind that she wouldn''t acknowledge him. He was just happy. Eske could see her again. ''I missed you, Nona. I fucking missed you.''; and chuckled seeing her preparing breakfast as it used to be.


    Nona turned around, holding a bowl half empty of fruit. ''We are out of oranges too, baby.''This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡®I get them later, love.¡¯; he replied while killing the cigarette bud on the ashtray and looked at Nona''s shadow, slowly crumbling back into black particles that blasted into Eske''s mouth.


    He felt an electric tension swiping from his shoulder to the top of his fingers back and forth and could not contain the spasm of his body falling onto the floor.


    A hand touched his cheek, turning him to look at her, Nona. She smiled kindly but sad, brushing away the strands of hair stuck to his forehead. ''Why did you do this, baby?''


    ''Because I wanted to see you.''


    ''You shouldn''t do this. You shouldn¡¯t.''


    ''I know. But something is better than nothing.''; Eske said with a faint smile before losing conscience.


    <hr>


    Eske woke up, and he was no longer on the kitchen floor. It smelled like hot sulfur. The ground was cracked yellow sand, and breathing burned his throat. He tried to stand but fell back with pain in his chest and tottered forward again when he saw that there were people around him. But ignoring him. the sounds of a chaotic market cramped with people and creatures. Humanoid frogs, cats and rabbits were acting as if it is normal.


    ''What the fuck?'' Eske said aloud, coughing blood into the dust as an old man pushed past him without looking at him or saying anything.


    He stood up and looked for something familiar, some landmark to helm himself.


    Nothing seemed quite right, almost as entering a dream, or rather a nightmare. Eske started to walk, observing his surrounding, seeing what he could make out of this place. Almost everyone wore white stained clothing from head to toe, covering most of their bodies. But the huge frog people were the ones that really unsettled Eske. With their big round heads, large bulging eyes set deep within dark hollows above flat snouts.


    As he walked along the streets, he was bumped by a young woman. She was dragging a huge fishnet containing soup cans, and with the other hand, she held a cat. When she turned to excuse herself, Eske could understand that the pet was no longer alive for a while.


    The woman was perhaps 18, maybe 20 years old. She had grey hair and huge black eyes. She looked just like her, Nona. A much younger version of Nona.


    ''Wait!''; he called.


    ''Yes?''


    ''Your name is Nona, right?''


    ''No.''


    ''No?''


    ''I have no name.''; and she proceeded to drag her huge fishnet bag along the corridor of the marketplace. Eske followed her, still not convinced she was indeed not Nona.


    ''So what do they call you?''


    ''Who?''


    ''People.''


    ''Nobody calls me.'' Then added: ''Why are you following me?''


    But Eske did not let go of the subject. ''People do name you something, no? Or you don''t talk to anyone at all in the whole universe.''


    ''I don''t have a name. I am a number.''; she stopped before a door and knocked. A woman with a child in her arms opened, and the girl gave her a can. The woman said nothing. She just accepted the gift and closed the door on their nose.


    ¡®Everything is a number, right?¡¯


    ''What are you doing?''


    ''Sir, you make a lot of questions.''; she stopped at the next door, and the same thing happened. Someone opened, the girl gave a soup can, and they closed with no word.


    ''They could say thank you.''; complained Eske.


    ''Why?''


    ''To show gratitude.''


    ''Why?''


    ''Is a nice thing to say. You don''t think so?''


    ''You''re weird.''; and went ahead with another knock. This one was answered by a man who stared at her suspiciously.


    ''Thank you,'' said Nona, giving him a can. The man immediately closed the door. She turned to Eske and, disappointed, said: ''You see, they didn''t like it! You give bad advice!''


    She began knocking on every house until she had an empty fishnet. She did try to say thank you a couple of times but with no positive results. Eske didn''t have the heart to explain they were the ones supposed to thank her, not her.


    ''Time to go home, kitty.''; she looked to Eske and said: ''You should go home too. I need to get ready for work shortly.''


    ''Wasn''t this work?''


    ''No, this was just giving time to people.''


    ''What about you?''


    ''I''m not hungry. I''m fine. I¡¯ll have coffee later.''; the girl said as if she wanted to be sure he understood. ''Don''t worry. I''ll take care of myself.''; then added: ''See you next time!'' And disappeared inside her tiny house that was, in reality, a minuscule space under a stair of cement hidden by cardboard. How could a fully grown-up woman fit there?


    Eske remained standing near the fake doorway where she entered, watching the street and wondering how bad time tasted in this place.


    Eske woke up on the floor next to a puddle of vomit.

 02:08 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    The days were passing by fast. Eske found himself smiling at any time of the day. He could see her cleaning the classroom while he was lecturing. Or waiting for him in front of the school gates as she used to. Going back home and talking about her days.


    He knew he missed her, but Eske didn''t realise how much he disregarded those little moments. But his favourite point of the day was him waking up, and she greeted him, telling him she loved him. The dreams or nightmares, Eske was still unsure what to call them, were now more frequent but always the same.


    They would walk down a yellow scenery of a marketplace street, knocking at doors and distributing soup cans. Eske was still trying to get information from young Nona. Where were they? Why would she go door to door giving soup cans away? What was wrong with the cat? And what was her other job? And more questions that Eske could simply not find the answers to.


    Once he arrived home, his mobile phone rang: ''Schrodinger.''


    ''Hi, it is Alice. How are you?'' She sounded happy and excited over something. ''I got some really good news! I have your last test results!''


    ''Nice.''; it wasn''t like him to sound so emotionless on such an occasion, but Eske didn''t care about his result. He only cared about what he already knew and had.


    ''Are you feeling alright? No nausea, lake of taste or smell or insomnias?''; she asked him with concern.


    Eske shrugged off all her worries: ''Nothing, I''m excellent.''; he said while watching Nona brushing her hair at the window.


    Alice laughed happily into the receiver. ''That''s great. I''m really happy to hear it. Look, Eske, I was thinking perhaps showing you the results over dinner.''


    ''Dinner?''


    ''Or lunch.''; she added quickly.


    ''Can''t you tell me tomorrow when I pick up the next batch?''; he asked.


    She sighed deeply before answering. ''Eske, there will be no new batch. The trial is over.''


    ''What do you mean?''; Eske felt cold shivers run down his spine. ''You''re kidding.''


    ''We have the control sample and the samples after-effect. There is no need for you to continue in the long-term.''


    ''But...but we just started. It was only 15 days,''; Eske stuttered out nervously. ''How can this happen?''


    ''It''s okay, Eske, don''t worry too much. You did well. I have enough data to send to the commission.''; she said.


    There was silence between them. Then Eske spoke again: ''Why? We''ve barely begun!''


    ''Eske?''


    ''So can you show me the results at dinner? I pay.''; Eske swallowed dry, watching Nona lying on the couch with a book and playing with her hair. He couldn''t lose this. ''Eight?''; he insisted.


    ''Oh, hum, okay. Eight sounds fine.''


    ''Okay, look forward to it.''; Eske hung up and rushed towards Nona. He knelt beside her. ''Hey, hey, baby.''


    She ignored him. At this point, he was used to it but didn''t care: ''I really need an idea. Like a bombastic idea how I keep this on.''; he looked at her, distracted. ''Nothing?''


    <hr>


    Eske arrived first at the restaurant and rehearsed his speech over and over in his head again until she arrived. Alice really liked red. She looked dashing with her red pencil skirt and red blouse matching her lipstick. She was no doubt pretty.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.''Good evening.''; she greeted him with kisses on each cheek and sat on the other side of the table. Eske smiled in a way he knew would make her face match the dress.


    The waiter brought them their wine, and they ordered dinner having small talk time for a while. It seemed to go well enough, but Eske did not let himself relax too much just yet.


    ''While we wait, you want to see the results?''; asked Alice sorting out her purse a long cream folder.


    Eske carefully took the file from her hand, opening it up and seeing several lists, numbers, and terms he wasn''t familiar with. The most repeated number was zero. ''What am I looking at?''


    ''The first page is your control sample.''; said Alice flipping through some papers. And pointed to something else that looked important, a square with the caption T-DNA and a round 0.0%.


    ''What does it mean?''; asked Eske wondering if there had been any mistakes in his test.


    Alice gave him an odd look as though she''d read what Eske thought: ''Your DNA result would be what we call an abnormality. It''s often said that humans are 99.9% identical. And what makes us unique is a measly 0.1% of our genome. But with you is the opposite. There is no one like you. You are impossible to be replicated. You have zero genetic mutation, and none of your genes is copied. I never saw something like this.''


    ''Is that good?''; wondered Eske hoping he didn''t sound stupid.


    ''I don''t know!''; chuckled Alice shaking her head. ''It means you''re different from everyone else. In fact, everything about you seems peculiar. Have you ever taken antibiotics?''


    Eske shook his head. ''Never.''; he answered, surprised by the question.


    ''If you ever caught a virus, antibiotics would have no effect on you, and honestly, I suspect you can''t even get sick, I mean really sick. By infections, inflammations or mutation. Check the other page of the testing.''; Alice flipped back through some more pages before coming across another sheet marked with the same lettering as the previous one. This time, however, it was labelled as after-effect. ''Zero. Nothing changed.''


    ''Nothing?''; Eske stared at the paper, trying to understand how nothing could change anything. He turned to Alice, who now wore a confused expression. ''How do I explain this? How can my body remain unchanged when...''


    ''When I experimented on myself, my cells changed. Even my T-DNA marker dropped. Your''s came back intact. And I can''t work with these results.''; she paused, giving him a sad smile. ''You will probably live forever unless you die of unnatural causes.''; she added softly. ''But you knew that already, didn''t you?''


    Eske felt a chill run down his spine: ''Yeah, I knew.''


    ''Now, I''m not stupid or easy to trick with a smile and a dinner. And I guess you were planning to seduce me, probably sleep with me, which I would say yes, even though the motives of it are sad. But, I rather want to know why someone who doesn''t age, who doesn''t get sick, who honestly doesn''t care about those results wants so badly to keep doing this. And also lied to me about the side effects.; Alice gathered the files back into the folder, set them aside and crossed her arms: ''Speak!''


    Eske leaned back on his chair and realised he didn''t touch his plate: ''Everything tastes like paper, check. Hard time sleeping, check. I also have seizures, and I can see her. I can see my girlfriend. I can see her everywhere I go. And it gives me back a tiny piece of happiness I used to have.''


    ''Eske, those are hallucinations, you know that, and you said you have seizures?''; Alice reached for the file.


    Eske held her arm before she did: ''I don''t think the side effects are mine.''


    ''Then whose?''; Alice pushed harder against his grip.


    Eske sighed. ''Hers. All these side effects, she used to have them. When I see her, it is actually memories. These are not things I saw. When I have seizures, I pass out and see her when she is younger. Although the world is painted in a very unreal, almost made-up way, I guess that is how she saw it.''


    Alice nodded and put away the file: ''So, what exactly is going on here?''; she asked, taking a sip of her wine.


    Eske took a deep breath and tried to figure out where to begin: ''I need to understand. I need to have an answer to why she left.''


    ''And then what?''; Alice interrupted. ''You move on?''


    ''I move on.''; Eske replied.


    She raised an eyebrow: ''Monday. We continue on Monday.''

 02:09 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    Alice didn''t realise she started to smile while she put her earrings in front of the mirror and how excited she felt about putting her red lipstick on. She felt this new drill to go to the lab and start her day. Her smile was longer, the day seemed brighter, and her heart would skip a beat when he knocked on the door of her lab.


    ''Good morning!'' said again Alice with an enthusiasm that made him laugh, for it had been so long since anyone but herself ever greeted him that way. ''What are you going to do today?'' she asked, inviting him into the lab.


    ''Humm, nothing special. Have some grades to evaluate and such.'' He smiled as if at something funny. His eyes were still shining, something she noticed that had changed in him since they started the trial.


    ''You look good.''


    ''You look too.''


    ''So why did you come? Missing me already?''; she flirted but tried really hard to make it sound like a joke. The grin never left his face, though.


    ''I guess I am missing something,'' he answered thoughtfully, sitting down beside her chair: ''I came to pick up a new batch.''


    ''Eske, you were supposed only to pick it up in two weeks.''


    He laughed nervously: ''Well, I ran out. There must have been a bad counting.''


    She looked at him curiously. Alice was usually cautious about keeping track of all the batches she used during the test period. She kept them in numbered plastic bags. ''How many do you take per day?''


    ''One as told, maybe two. Sometimes I forget if I take them.''; Eske scratched behind his head. ''I was thinking maybe we could go out having dinner.''


    ''You''re asking me out?''


    His grin returned full force. ''Why not?''


    ''You always said...''; Alice looked into Eske''s smiling face. ''Of course. Tonight?''


    ''Not tonight. I have plans. Maybe tomorrow?''


    ''Tomorrow is fine. Eight?''


    ''Eight sounds fine.''; he stood up from the chair: ''So about the batch...?''


    ''Oh, sure.''; Alice took one of those small black bags and pulled out a white square packet wrapped in transparent plastic. It contained 15 capsules. ''Here, one every 24h, don''t overdo it.''


    ''One a day is clear.''; Eske nodded. Then suddenly, he turned serious again. ''Thank you, Alice.''


    ''In two weeks, we take new blood samples. And, are you all right? Did you have any side effects?''


    Eske shrugged his shoulders: ''No problems so far.''


    ''Nightmares?''


    ''I have been sleeping like a kitty.''; his smile was wide now, almost disturbing.


    Vihann looked at Eske leaving the lab in a hurry and said without looking at Alice: ''You know the guy is just playing you like a Boss.''


    ''I know.''; Alice replied, staring at the floor.


    ''Don''t tell me you believe his good romantic intentions.'' Vihann said. ''The man is a nutjob! He is pumping his body with who knows what. Intentionally! Just to see his dead girlfriend!''


    Alice stared at the ceiling. ''It''s more than that.''


    ''More than what?''


    ''He doesn''t believe she is dead.'' Her voice sounded very low, even to herself. ''I think...'', she began, trying not to cry, ''I''m starting to fall for him.''


    ''You''re a nutjob too. For helping him and to fall like a fucking dumb high school girl.''; Vihann looked seriously at Alice: ''He is never gonna stop, you do realise it, right?''


    ''Maybe I am crazy. But I can''t help feeling this way.''; Alice sniffed and wiped her nose.


    ''You lost it. You fucking lost it, stupid woman.''; Vihann clicked his tongue: ¡®At this pace, I¡¯m going to lose my job.¡¯


    Lesson number one, Eske needed to be comfortable lying in bed before taking the pills. It was also the scenery that would show him mostly Nona lying down next to him sleeping. He had never realised she did snore. Not too loud, but it was indeed adorable. Lesson number two, if he exceeded the dosage, he could touch her, not for long, but it was enough to feel her warm skin for a couple of seconds. Lesson number three, he would pass out, and he would be back to that market. He learned that if he didn''t talk or ask any questions, she would reveal more and show more. Eske concluded that it probably was memories mixed with a dream substance. If there had been no intervention on his side, he would have had a clearer and more accurate view of Nona''s early life events.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.He swallowed two pills dry. It didn''t take too long for the comforting abrupt silence. Filling his skin covered in muted sound as dust lay over his face. A cringing cold goosebumps spread on his arms, followed by the exhale of black particles between his lips. And finally, the sticky taste of wet paper mache in Eske''s mouth.


    He turned his face, and there she was, sleeping beside him, small and glowing like an angel. Her hair spread across the pillow like a silver veil. His heart thumped hard against his chest, almost bursting through. She looked so peaceful with her eyes closed under heavy lids.


    He dared to lift his hands and touch her cheek slightly on the surface. If he did more than that, she would disappear from his sight again. But touching her made him feel better, almost like he could breathe again. He tried to keep still and fight the huge to pull her in his arms as he used to. The fear of losing her once again was overwhelming. He had no idea how dangerous this drug was, but at least now he could see her and hold onto something. So he dared to reach further until he touched both sides of her head softly, caressing the silky grey strands.


    ''Coffee?''; she asked.


    ''Are you going to make some?''; he whispered back, remembering perfectly the day they had this early conversation.


    ''No, I was suggesting that you make it.''


    Eske chuckled and repeated: ''Depends.''


    ''Of what?''


    His voice cracked, and almost as if losing his voice, he asked again: ''Marry me.''


    Nona''s spectre crumbled in slow motion into black particles returning into Eske''s mouth, who immediately fell unconscious and trawled to a world made of burning yellow dust.


    Eske looked at himself in the mirror while shaving his face, but it wasn''t him. He had no control over his hands, face, or even feet. The thought wasn''t his either. He was just a witness of a guy with bright hazel eyes and wild wavy short hair. He knew this face. He knew it too well. Delbert Day Whiterabbit.


    The place looked like a minimalistic white module with an expansive view over yellow dunes. It was as daunting as breathing and talking. Day was worried about something. He couldn''t stop looking at his watch: ''She is late. Bloody girl!'' He watched his face and, with an immaculate white scarf, his head entirely and covered his clothes with a white tunic.


    He started to walk directly to what seemed a closed village made of clay and yellow stone. Trying to avoid being noticed. The street where cramped with people, only people. Shouts and yelling entangled with noises that couldn''t be identified seem to turn the street even smaller. Day checked every street, avenue, lane and alley, but as he couldn''t find what he was searching for, his pace accelerated. ''Where are you?''


    He stopped near a building with hidden broken stairs covered with cardboard. He first knocked, then a second. No response. He grabbed the cardboard and put it to one side carefully. The girl wasn''t there, but she left the dead cat with some rags draped over it. ''She is still keeping that fucking thing.''; he put the cardboard back where it was and turned to the next closest person: ''Hey you! You with the fish face, have you seen the girl?''


    ''What girl?''; the man with the sunken face looked around him before answering.


    ''The girl that lives here, have you seen her?''


    ''No, I haven''t. And then added: ''But who wants to know? Why should we care if someone has or hasn''t seen her? Maybe who wants to know had some tokens to revive my brain eye!''


    Day took from his jacket to black chips: ''Would that be enough to make you talk?''


    ''Two tokens? Don¡¯t you have more?''; asked the man approaching carefully.


    Day drew a wide grin: ''Depends what you are about to tell me.''


    The man, still approaching, slowly answered: ''She went downtown. I think the butcher is asking for cleaning jobs.''; and after adding quickly: ''She is probably gone by now, cut into little slices. Little yummy pieces!''


    As soon the man was about to grab the two tokens, Day punched him in the crooked nose with his elbow, turned around quickly, trapping his neck with his arm, and only let him fall into the ground when his neck snapped dry. He walked downtown rapidly until he arrived at a filthy store smelling of dry blood and rotten meat. He saw her there scrubbing the floor with a rag.


    ''Nona!''


    She turned her face, confused.


    ''Nona!''; he called her again.


    She wasn''t happy to see him. She stood up and approached him. ''Why are you following me?''


    ''I was worried.''


    ''Why?''


    ''Because you didn''t show up!''


    ''I''m not sick.''


    ''But you need to make regular checkups.''


    She pulled her shirt up, showing her belly. On her left side, a tiny white device with a green blinking light was attached: ''It is still working.''


    ''I see, but I need to verify it with proper equipment.''; Day said, smiling, but he felt nervous around her. ¡®And you need to eat and rest, you could come with me.¡¯


    ''Are you going to take it off?''; she asked but sounded more as if she was demanding.


    ''No, Nona, I...''


    She interrupted him, almost shouting: ''My name is not Nona!''


    ''Nona, please, listen.''


    ''Don''t call me that!''; she shouted, staring at him. ''I don''t have a name! I''m a number, remember?''


    Day wanted to say something else, anything, but he couldn''t. Her eyes were so sad. So lost. ''I told you, you can live with me. You don''t need to do all of this. You¡¯ll be safe with me, you know that. Last time we had fun, haven¡¯t we?''


    ''Are you taking it off?''; she demanded once more.


    ''I can''t do that. I won''t do it. Please try to understand.''


    Her face darkened. ''Then go away.''


    ''I will try my best to convince you to come with me. To live with me. We can even get another cat. You like cats, don¡¯t you?''


    ''I don¡¯t like you!,'' she yelled. She was mad: ''So get out of here, creep! I don''t want to see you again.''; Nona turned her back on him and kneeled once more on the floor, scrubbing the floor with all her rage. ''You are no better than the frogs, filthy rabbit.''; she said between her teeth as if spitting an insult.

 02:10 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    When Eske woke up covert in sweat and vomit, he decided that perhaps it was time to do some math. He threw his clothes on the washer, started the coffee machine and took a quick shower.


    Now let''s count rabbits. Eske met Day for the first time in 1938. From what he remembered, the guy looked in his late 30, maybe 40. But in 1961, he was way older. 60, perhaps 65? In this timeline, he died at 19, and in the last dream, he looked 20-ish.


    So, in conclusion, Day is not a Time Traveler. He ages, and he also died two times, at least to his knowledge. One of them he was the cause of death. Now how does the guy show up everywhere and everywhen, and still Day recognises him every time they meet?


    Let''s think for a moment. Even if Day repeats himself through timelines, he couldn''t possibly remember who he is. Could he? How? What would be the instrument for that? And then it hit Eske. His time footprint was zero, almost as if he didn''t exist. What would be the result of someone with 100%? And what would it mean?


    He wondered if Day, from the present timeline, had ever taken samples of his own blood to test. And if yes, would Alice have the results with her? Could he ask it just like that? Oh hey, I killed your boyfriend back in the day and wondered if he exists in every existential plan. Yeah, no.


    And why did he care? It is not like he existed now. But, the way he looked at Nona. That nervous feeling to be around her, he knew it too well. But things didn''t add up. If he cared about her or even loved her, why did he beat her last time, and the way she described it to him, it seemed like it was the most normal thing. This means it wasn''t the first time.


    But being on Day''s skin taught him a couple of things. The location is not Earth. It is Io, one of Jupiter''s moons. The Bazaar Town is one of the few settlements on the moon. And Nona was a serf.


    She was not owned by anyone but belonged to the settlement. At least the soup can mystery is solved. Or I least, Eske thinks so. She served the people. She didn''t work for money, or in this case, tokens. She just served. Would the device be some sort of restraint? There were so many questions.


    Nona never spoke about her past, and Eske felt dizzy with all the possibilities. The more he walked on those yellow streets, the more a foul taste in his mouth would clutch on his tongue.


    And more importantly, should he know? What is the line where he is transpassing her boundaries? Well, he couldn''t say she was gone and didn''t come back. Was he hoping to find an answer, like where and when she was?


    Has he walked out of the bathroom, he saw a Nona standing in front of him. She looked different, still the same but different, more mature but not old. She hadn''t aged. She just looked wiser.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    She was wearing a tube teal tube dress with elegant flat shoes. Her hair was carefully tied in a ponytail. She wore makeup. Eske never saw her, even with lipstick. She looked beautiful but sad, almost as if she could see Eske. He noticed her hands. She wore a golden ring, and as his gaze went up, he saw she didn''t have their tattoo anymore. Instead, there was a scar as if it was burned.


    ''You married.''; he whispered. ''You got married. And you erased me?''


    Her apparition didn''t move, didn''t say anything. Eske didn''t know his heart could be broken once more. ''I thought all this time you would be in danger. I was worried sick, and you just started a new life without me? Please tell me you''re happy, that he treats you well, and that you have everything you deserve. I mean, tell me something, so I can fucking move on.''


    She stayed quiet. It was a never-ending silence until a small figure walked to her legs, and Nona lifted up the child. He couldn''t see the kid''s face or hear any sound. A teardrop fell down his cheek. He turned away and saw the girl from Io: ''Will you take it off?''


    Eske stood there between two versions of Nona, looking at nothing. His head felt heavy, his eyes burned, and he wanted to scream, to shout, but all he could feel was the deep sorrow of a love that died without even a proper goodbye. He realised she had lied to him. Nona once told him to believe he would always find her. And he didn''t because she wasn''t lost.


    Eske returned to his room, opened his clothes and picked up his best suit and tie. While he was calling her: ''Hi Alice, is Eske.''


    ''Is everything fine?'' she asked, worried.


    ''Yes, everything is fine. I feel like I have lifted a weight from my shoulders. Finally.''; Eske lied. And he knew he was lying. He felt that the burden had been merely shifted, not removed or even diminished. It would return again soon enough and with renewed force. But it seemed now as though there was an end of its power over him for this night at least.


    ''Really? Are you going to stop?''; she enquired anxiously. ''I know how hard things can be when....''


    He laughed at how ridiculous his story became: ''I was wondering if you want to grab a drink or go to a movie. Anything, actually.''


    She hesitated only momentarily before answering: ''Did you run out already?''


    ''No. I''m actually asking you on a date if you''re still interested. No second intentions, I mean, there are second intentions but nothing that involves...'' His voice trailed off uncertainly into silence. She did not respond immediately, and he thought perhaps he''d made some kind of faux pas in presuming upon such sudden intimacy after all these years. Then suddenly she said softly: ''Tomorrow is workday, so...''


    ''Of course, I didn''t think of that. I''m really sorry, I should...''


    She interrupted him: ''I was thinking. Instead, you could come to my place and spend the night over. How does that sound?''


    ''Sounds perfect! I''ll be there in a minute.''; he smiled. He hung up and began buttoning his shirt in front of the mirror. Over his right shoulder, he still saw her and tried to ignore it. To erase it from his head. Nona was sitten over his bed, drenched in blood, with her body half shredded by bites. Chunks of her arms and legs were missing, and bone was exposed.


    Eske pretended with all his might to ignore, to not feel. This was no longer his story. Or at least that is what he told himself over and over again.

 02:11 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    ''Hi, sorry I''m late.'' ; Eske pushed the chair and sat without even looking at her: ''Did you already order?''


    ''What happened?'' Alice asked. Her face was pale with anxiety. Alice was pulling out all her strength to keep her eye dry. She didn''t want to cry in front of him.


    ''Nothing, just traffic. Do we order wine?''


    She looked down for a moment, then nodded. Eske ordered a bottle of red wine from the waiter, who had come out of nowhere.


    ''Are you okay?''; she asked.


    ''Yeah, why?'' he said quickly. The question made him feel visibly uncomfortable. Alice didn''t look too happy either: ''Eske, your eyes are red.''


    He flushed slightly as they oversaw each other: ''A student brought his cat today to class.''


    ''A cat?'' she repeated.


    ''Yeah, told you I was allergic.''; he pointed to his face circling the redness: ''They get like this.''


    ''If I didn''t know, I would think you were crying.''


    ''No, it is just allergies.''


    They drank their first glass of wine together silently. Alice felt awkward with the speechlessness between them. After six years together, she was used to it. ''You didn''t like your food?''


    Eske took his eyes off his phone: ''What?''


    ''You didn''t touch your plate.''; she pointed to the intact dish.


    ''I''m not hungry.'' he replied simply.


    ''Is everything okay?'' she added, still anxious. There seemed something wrong about Eske''s manner, which she couldn''t put her finger on.


    ''What is going on, Alice? It''s the second time you''ve asked me that.''; he said.


    The waiter appeared again and refilled their glasses. ''You seem off. Are you still taking the samples?''


    ''Yes,''; he answered shortly, ''Never felt better.''


    Alice sipped slowly, watching his face closely for any sign of what might have been bothering him. ''How many?''


    ''How many what Alice?''


    ''How many pills do you take now?''


    ''One.''; he responded flatly.


    She stared at him blank-faced, then suddenly laughed nervously: ''You''re lying. Why are you lying?''


    ''Is this some interrogation? I don''t know what you''re complaining about. You have what you want, and I have what I want. What are you complaining about?''; he said, crossing his arms: ''Is there something on our deal you are unhappy about?''


    ''Why didn''t you stop taking them?''


    ''It''s my business.''; and stood out of his chair: I''m going to pay the bill.''


    Eske got up abruptly, paid at the counter, and went to the window overlooking the street below.


    Alice followed hesitantly behind, uncertain if she should say anything or leave him alone. But when she reached the window, he turned around to see her standing beside him. ''This is a nice place'', she remarked quietly, glancing round the restaurant. It was one of those places where the walls were lined with photographs of people who had eaten there.


    ''Nice?''; he asked, surprised by the comment. ''I''ve seen nicer''. His tone implied that he meant the opposite.


    ''You are particularly grumpy tonight.''


    ''Maybe because you keep asking questions.''


    ''I don''t know what to do to keep you happy. I don''t know what else I can do.''


    ''I''m sorry, Alice.''; he pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair lightly with the tips of his fingers: ''There isn''t much anyone can do to make me happy. Not anymore.''


    ''But I love you so much!'' she cried. ''Why am I not enough? I love you, Eske.''


    ''Thank you.''; he whispered against her ear. Then he kissed her tenderly on the cheek.


    When he broke away, she smiled the saddest smile, knowing she was in the arms of a man who could never love her back.


    ''Are you breaking up with me?''


    ''You don''t really give me that choice, do you?''; he put his hands inside his pockets: ''I''ll sleep at my place if you don''t mind. Or do I have to go with you?''


    ¡®Marry me!¡¯


    ¡®You cannot ask me that.¡¯


    ¡®Marry me, Eske.¡¯


    It started a couple of months ago. Eske was convinced he finally had what could be considered a normal life. An everyday life. He had a stable job, still as a math teacher. People didn''t seem to notice that he didn''t age, perhaps because of how stern and stoic he could be. He had a stable relationship. Not passionate nor exciting, just a comfortable relationship with no unexpected events. Eske was satisfied. He had a satisfying boring life. A very dull life. Until he met someone he hadn''t seen for a long time at a local grocery store not far from the school. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ''Professor Schrodinger! How are you!''; a woman with very suggestive attire came closer to him with a dazzling smile. ''Fine, and you?''; he did a quick fake smile, not remembering who it was at first. But after peeking at the translucid shirt, a sudden memory came to his mind, Anabel''s mum. Some people don''t change at all with time.


    The woman in question turned away her head to hide an embarrassed blush as she looked up again into his eyes with a look that seemed to say, ''You know, I was thinking of you the other day''. She stood there for several moments before saying: ''My god, you haven''t changed at all! You are exactly the same. Handsome and breathtaking!''


    ''Thank you.''; Eske replied, discomfiting, and to change the topic, he asked: ''How is your daughter, Anabel?''


    Her warm smile faded away and was followed by a puzzled gaze: ''Professor., I''m Anabel. I was your student, class 96, remember?''


    Eske fake smile faded away. The girl he used to teach was 12, maybe 14. How did this happen? Although he noticed that people didn''t see his lack of ageing, it didn''t mean that the world around him wasn''t. He felt again that this timeline was where dreams come to die.


    <hr>


    Eske turned the keys on Alice''s door and turned the light on. He went to the kitchen with the groceries bag and started unpacking them. Still, he had only got as far as putting down a loaf of bread when his attention was arrested by the sounds of number nine. His favourite number. His heart started to race, and his breathing quickened until it seemed almost painful. It couldn''t be. He hadn''t taken any pills and didn''t even get near the lab''s building. He couldn''t stop feeling his lips ripping a smile. She was back. She was finally back!


    He turned and saw her, with her soft smile, her grey hair falling into cascade over her shoulders. She was glowing. He dropped whatever he was doing and grabbed her by her wrist to pull her in his arms.


    ''You''re here.''; said Eske softly. He kissed her, holding her as tight as he could against his chest. ''I''ve been waiting for you!''; whispered Eske trying to hold his tears. His hands stroked her hair, face, and lips, caressing every part. He couldn''t stop kissing her, so eager this time, so passionate. He lifted her and sat her on the table, where she giggled before taking him between her legs. They made love feverishly, their bodies moving together like one organism, each seeking the other out, wanting more than anything else at that moment to make sure they were still joined. He couldn''t remember the last time he lost himself in her.


    When finished, Eske held her tightly against him again, brushing her hair, but when he looked at the strand of hair falling between his fingers, they were not grey.


    ''Wow, that was maybe the best sex we had.''; it wasn''t her voice either.


    He let loose his embrace and looked at her. It wasn''t her. It wasn''t Nona''s face, nor Nona''s skin, nor Nona''s hair. It was Alice. ?umber nine was sprouting around her, stealing Nona''s symphony and voice. He made love to a ghost that he thought he had already mourned.


    ''What have you done?''; he asked, pulling his pants up.


    ''Eske, what are you talking about?''; replied Alice. Eske confronted her, disgusted with a taste of macabre in his mouth. Something was off with Alice. There weren''t any wrinkles around her eyes, and her skin was glowing, almost as if she had rejuvenated.


    ''What did you do? Are you consuming the pills?''; asked Eske. He was utterly distressed. But there was no answer from Alice.


    Her eyes didn''t meet Eske''s accusing eyes: ''I had to.''


    ''You had to?''; repeated Eske incredulously. ''You know what it does to me, what the fuck, Alice!''


    ''I thought you were past her!''; said Alice, a bit louder than intended.


    ''I will never be past her!''; shouted Eske punching the table with both hands. ''It is fucking impossible!''


    Alice was frozen half naked over the kitchen table, with the saddest face that any woman could have and repeated: ''I had too.''


    ''Why Alice? Why?''


    ''It came back.''; she mumbled, looking away.


    The sound of her words pierced through Eske''s ears and mind, making him feel like something was tearing inside his head. The room became blurry, darkening around the edges.


    ''I have cancer, Eske. It came back and is worse than the first time. It''s already in stage 3.''; she tried to say calmly. She took a deep breath to continue. ''I need to try once again. It worked the first time.''


    She kept staring at him, trying to find some kind of forgiveness or understanding in those yellow-golden eyes. Eske felt sick, knowing there was no way out. As long as Alice was sick, he would always see her. He would always want her. Eske would always love her but behind was someone who needed him the most. He was trapped as he was the jail himself.


    ''Marry me!''


    ''You cannot ask me that.''


    ''Marry me, Eske.''; Alice asked again. The pleading of a dying woman who clunch on this hope that time would spare her.


    ''You don''t leave me any choice, do you?'' Eske said in his stoic voice. ''You do realise I still see her in you. When you touch me, it is her who touches me. When I kiss you, it''s her. When I smile is because I see her. Do you really want that in your last years?''


    ''You talk as if I was already dying.'' She smiled at him through the tears and the pain she could not help showing. He had always been kind to her, but he could also be so cold. ''I will beat it.''


    ''Perhaps. I hope you do.'' But there was no conviction about his words. His face told its own tale. One of doubt, fear and love for what remained behind him.


    ''Please say yes.''


    ''I don''t want any venue, no guests, no rings, and I don''t want you to have my name.''


    Alice laughed out of spite: ''That sounds like something out of a romance novel.''


    Eske grinned back. ''Does are my terms. Take it or leave it.''


    She kissed him. ''Okay.''

 02:12 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    He said her name last night. It wasn''t the first time. He never told her her name directly, only when they... she didn''t want to think about it. The new biopsy showed her she was on stage 4. The black particles were not healing her cells. It seemed by the last blood samples. It got even worse. So, Alice not only didn''t heal herself, but she had sacrificed her relationship for grains of hope that didn''t exist.


    He was sleeping on her bed, but his mind and core were with her, this Nona she had only heard about, and yet nothing knew. She went to the living room and lit up a cigarette. She chuckled around the irony. She puffed at the smoke while staring out the window, distracted by the cold wind blowing on the tree''s leaf.


    She started to cough violently, and it seemed her lungs would drop out of her mouth. A dark liquid came between her lips and splashed down on the floor. Her head rolled back, then fell forward onto its chest, which made a wet sound like water hitting the floor.


    Eske came to the living room and turned the light: ''What happened?''


    ''Nothing, I just puked. I''ll clean the mess.''; Alice said, killing the cigarette on the ashtray.


    ''Leave it. I do it.'' Eske cleaned up the vomit with a towel and wiped the floor dry. When finished, he looked at Alice, who was still lying on the couch.


    ''I would have cleaned it.''; she complained.


    ''Well, it''s done.''; he replied. Then added in an irritated tone: ''You don''t look good today, want me to take you to the hospital?''


    Alice shrugged indifferently: ''I think I will do the chemo.''


    ''I think that is a good idea.''; Eske agreed.


    They both stared into each other eyes for a few seconds before they broke off their gaze. They stood there motionless until, finally, Alice said: ''We should get a divorce.''


    ''Alice...''; Eske looked away from her face. His voice sounded strange, almost sad.


    ''I''m not going to make it. I want to be surrounded by people who love me. My family, my friends, but you...you don''t.''; she said. ''I know you tried. You tried for years, but you lost this war. Didn''t you?''


    It took him some time to answer: ''Yeah, I did, didn¡¯t I?''.


    After that, silence filled the house again. There was no need to talk anymore because they knew what was coming next. ''Don''t worry, I''ll fill up the papers, and we''re done.''; she assured him.


    Eske nodded his head slowly.


    ''If she comes back, and I mean it.''; she said, holding his hand firmly: ''Don''t ever let her go. I don''t think you make it a second time.''


    He smiled weakly: ''That is If she comes back.''; he said, pressing on the word if.


    ''She will. I don''t understand how or why, but I know it, and when she comes back, she''ll bring delicious food and great news.''; Alice was rambling, almost as if it sounded gibberish.


    ''Alice, are you alright?''; Eske put his hand on her forehead.


    She pushed his arm away: ''Not dying yet. But call my mum. I need her.


    Day looked at himself in the mirror while shaving his face. A guy with bright hazel eyes and wild wavy short hair. He washed his face off and put his watch back on his wrist. She was late again.


    He paced inside his home module with an expansive view over yellow dunes. His thoughts were daunting to him. What if something happened? She wouldn''t be reckless. Day was worried, always about the same thing, always about her. He couldn''t stop looking at his watch: ''She is late. Bloody girl!'' He randomly grabbed an immaculate white scarf and wore it around his head, covering it entirely, as well as his clothes with a white tunic.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.He started to walk directly to what seemed a closed village made of clay and yellow stone. Trying to avoid being noticed. The street where cramped with people, only people. Shouts and yelling entangled with noises that couldn''t be identified turned the street even smaller. Day checked every street, avenue, lane and alley, but as he couldn''t find what he was searching for, his pace accelerated. ''Where are you?''


    He stopped near a building with hidden broken stairs covered with cardboard. He first knocked, then a second. No response. He grabbed the cardboard and put it to one side carefully. The girl wasn''t there, but she left the dead cat with some rags draped over it. ''She is still keeping that fucking thing.''; he was about to put the cardboard back when he noticed a red chip over her sheets.


    Day took the chip in his hands and could read *Toads and Frogs Baazar of Ardour*: ''No, no, you wouldn''t do that!''; she was defying him. He took the red token with him and ran as fast as he could to the town''s main square.


    A small cramped colosseum was full of a crowd of men and women with deformed features spread through their skin. Several deformed blisters in a range of yellow and green would make them look like toads or frogs. They shouted and screamed numbers. It was an auction over serfs, people of all sorts and genders, displayed on their underwear and a small round device attached on their left side.


    ''Male, 180cm, with a perfect score of 0.3! Fresh meat and warm blood, starting only on 25 red tokens! Who gives 30? 35! 40! 65! 65? 65, one, 65, two, 70! Do I hear 75? 75, one, 75, two, 75, three to the gentleman on the second line! Next young female, we all know her as the girl who can taste time, and how does time tastes? Price starts at 150!''; the deformed crooked man holding a megaphone paced in front of Nona, obviously shaking. She wore a transparent coat and metallic silver leggings. Her face was covered with makeup as if she was just a doll for exposition.


    ''Do I hear 155? 250? 260? 280! 285! Oh, my 500! 1500 from the guild, there will be a feast! Closed by the Guild merchant, gentleman, embrace yourself!''; as the auctioneer finished the last word, he jumped out off the stage to give place to a large group of frogs assaulting Nona to the ground. The sound of ripping skin, broken bones and teeth chewing her guts could echo even in the loudest crowd. She didn''t scream or cry. She didn''t move a single finger. From her empty eyes that Day couldn''t stay away, he saw her almost vanish.


    Once they had what they wanted, the frogs had their belly full, the colosseum started to clear, and she remained in a puddle of blood. Day came next to her. What was left of her was trembling and barely breathing. ''Why?''


    ''Will you take it off?''


    ''If I do, you''ll leave.''


    ''Then tomorrow I set the price lower, and you''ll be left with bones.''; even though her brain was asphyxiating itself, Nona didn''t let down her pride.


    ''You''ll leave me no choice, do you?''; as he closed his promise back, dust-covered Nona''s body, sculpting her bones, weaving her tissue and restoring her skin. She stood up and tried to clean off the dried blood on her legs: ''Are you a man of your word, Rabbit?''


    ''I want to believe I am.''


    She smirked: ''You''re not. You''ll never give up.''


    Eske woke up running to the toilet and vomited every single dark particle he could have in his system. The cans she used to give away didn¡¯t contain soup.

 02:13 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    It took hours for Eske to stop throwing up. His heart was pounding in his throat, and his eyes burned from crying and forcing the purging. He kept ramming his fingers as deep as he could into his throat, but nothing else would come out after a while.


    And who was he kidding? At this point, she was mixed into his bloodstream. ''What a fucking asshole! What. A. Fucking. Asshole!''


    He still saw her on the other side of the bathroom, with too much makeup and an outfit that didn''t hide much. ''So, that is what the soup cans were for? They would feed off you?''


    The image of Nona didn''t move, but it almost looked as if she nodded.


    ''And that is why nobody talked to you? What a fucking mess.''; Eske rubbed his face: ''I don''t believe I did this for over a decade. What the fuck? I''m no better than a frog. What the fuck!''; he hit his head against the wall: ''I always thought it was like time matter or something like memories. I never thought it would actually be you, part of you, your own flesh. So what, they were sick, and they used you? Like Alice used you? Am I getting this right? Because whenever I think I''m close to understanding all this mess, there is like a whole new plot. Oh, fuck! Thank god you''re not here. I feel so fucking ashamed! I should be smarter than this! How the fuck didn''t I see it? Nona?''


    The apparition didn''t move and just nodded from time to time. She looked tired and sad too. Her hair grey, her face tired and stern despite the makeup.


    Eske felt tears coming again, and he put his hand between his legs. ''Oh my god..., they have a tank. A fucking full tank.''; the realisation made Eske stand up, turn the shower on and pace fast to his room, throwing a suit over the bed and grabbing his colt 45 that was hidden inside a shoe box. ''Don''t look at me like that. I got it after you left. Now it is sorta handy.''; he peeked over his shoulder, a Nona looking down the closet as if scared that someone would find out. ''Did you hide something?''


    Eske started to remove one shoe box after one shoe box. He opened the lid to all of them until there was a yellow box that looked more used than the others, hidden in the very back of the closet. He opened the lid carefully and found a notebook with a list of names, addresses to restaurants, churches, lists of flowers name, colours, and drawings he wasn''t sure what they were about. There were dozen of bridal magazines with little post-it bookmarking each section.


    ''Why were you collecting this thing if you said no?''; Eske continued to explore the hidden content and finally found a little velvet box. He carefully opened it and found two golden rings.


    He took the largest and put it on his finger fitting it perfectly: ''Why Nona? You said no.''


    When he removed the ring, he could read Love of my life AM.


    ''Am?'' On the other one, it was correct, it said Love of my life FM.


    He put the ring back inside the yellow box and placed everything back into the shoe box as it was. He felt hassled and confused by the whole finding. She waited. She was waiting for the right time to say yes, and he had fucked it up. In every aspect possible.


    He went for the last time to Alice''s lab. At an edgy pace, he walked onto the last floor with his gun clutched around his fingers. Nobody noticed him. Everyone was used to seeing him through this corridor.


    But the door to the laboratory was locked, and only an authorised fingerprint would open it. Eske was ready, he pointed the gun, and when he was about to pull the trigger, a voice behind him said: ''Maybe we can try my card, boss?''


    He turned and saw Vihann behind him with a mischievous smile showing off a card displaying the acronym W.T.L.


    ''You are such a badass, man.''; he walked past, still grinning and entered the lab: ''Are you coming?''; asked Vihann.


    ''Yes,'' Eske replied, stammering and following him. ''How did you... why are you opening the door when I''m holding a gun? Aren''t you supposed to call the cops or something?''The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ''I don''t work for the lab. So, I don''t give a fuck.''; Vihann answered, obviously amused.


    ''I have seen you here, working since day one,''; he circled the room with his index finger.


    ''Let''s say my work lead me to work here as an outsource. But my Bosses are somewhen else.''; Vihann smirked while going through a desk as if looking for something.


    ''I don''t understand. So who do you work for?''


    ''Well, my paycheck says WTL Pi. Bet it doesn''t ring you a bell, Boss.''


    ''Should it?''; asked Eske raising an eyebrow.


    ''Not really, not yet. Ah! Found it, here.''; Vihann gave him a large folder containing the DNA results of hundreds of people. He recognised his name. Even Robert''s and Penny''s names were on the list. Marie Sue, who used to work with Nona. Horatio, Chloe, and others he had never heard of.


    ''What is this?''; asked Eske, completely confused.


    ''You tell me, Boss.''


    ''I don''t understand. I''m really lost. Why are you giving me all this?''; Eske looked around the room, and his eyes landed on the tank. ''I just came too...''


    ''To free the remains of the vortex, I know. I was expecting you to come any time soon.''


    ''When are you from?''


    ''I was wondering when you would ask. I was born in 2201, in Europa. Not Europe, but Europa.''; he clarified, pointing to the ceiling. ''I was on Io when that timeline was deleted. Rumours of a kid who could taste time getting rid of a... well, that is complicated to explain. Let''s say the child breaks free and brings hell on earth, in this case, on the moon. That was how I jumped for the first time. And here I am, on a mission.''


    ''Kid?''; a blank expression narrowed in Eske''s eye.


    Vihann lost the grin, understanding that it wasn''t subject to goofing around: ''The remains of the vortex have a carb-14 of a ten-year-old. She was a kid at the time.''; pointing to the tank: ¡®This was collected when she was only ten.¡¯


    ''But I saw...''


    ''You saw what your brain allows you to process. I''m sorry for that. I didn''t stop you because my orders were not to stop you. I apologise once more.''; Vihann sad bowing his and pressing his lips.


    ''What kind of sick motherfucker would..., who is he or they?''; Eske asked, exalting his tone.


    ''I can''t say, but soon enough, you''ll know, trust me, I understand is really hard to swallow. Okay, this was a bad choice of words, but you will know. You''ll understand. This was the best course of action. Just please be patient. You deserve it.''


    ''I deserve it?''; Eske looked at him as Vihann hit a nerve: ''I deserve it?''


    ''As I said, it will make sense. In the folder, you have all my possible contacts to recruit me because, yes, you will need me. You also have the DNA results of Day. I mean, Delbert Day Whiterabbit, you didn''t ask, but I thought you would need it.''; he handed Eske another piece of paper.


    Eske looked at it, which could be read as a to-do list written with what he recognised as his own handwriting. ''Where did you get this?''


    Vihan smiled again and showed another sheet of paper: ''My Boss told me to keep an eye on you and to remind you that time conversion is a fact. You see, 10 years here are actually 8 hours where I come from. In a couple of minutes, my shift is done. And I did a double shift. I''m exhausted! And dying to get home, take a quick shower and enjoy the end of the day with a Marguerita.''


    ''Should I ask...?''


    ''No, you shouldn''t. It will all be okay. You guys have done an incredible job. And I feel so proud to be part of it. It is an honour to work with you, Mr Schrodinger.''


    ''Whatever, I just came to...''; Eske pointed the gun to the tank.


    ''May I...''; Vhiann interrupted.


    ''What?''


    ''Can I do it?''


    ''What?''


    ''I''m always closed on the servers container room and do almost all nightshifts. I never have a cool story to tell like the others.''; Vhiann begged.


    ''You want to pull the trigger?''


    ''It would be so cool! You know, I just feel always left out.''


    ''I don''t know why I''m doing this.''; Eske handed over his gun to the engineer, whose eyes lit up.


    ''You know how to use...''


    The double bang and smell of burn powder interrupted Eske. At the same time, he could see the black residues vanishing, leaving no trace behind.

 02:14 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    Eske tried to find Nancy Santos and failed. Her office number was disconnected or out-of-service at all hours, day and night. He couldn''t be sure which it was. He finally found a directory that listed an address for her outside his area. He called there, but no one answered except someone who said she had not been in business long enough to have any clients yet, and that he should seek another colleague.


    Eske insisted he wanted to open the deal with Miss Santos and only her. The person on the phone refused him this right and gave him instead some other real state officer name as being more suitable than hers. Eske could feel his blood boil and insisted it had to be with Nancy Santos, or he would go to another agency, hoping the threat worked. It didn''t. So then Eske got angry, and his temper went through the roof. He yelled at them so loud that they feared he might get violent, and they hung up on him.


    ''Shit, I should have asked the address before going, berserker. Fuck''; he vented aloud while lightening a cigarette. ''I''ll try again.'' And he did, several times over the next few days until, by sheer persistence, he succeeded in getting through to a woman with a timid tone:


    ''Hi, I wanted to speak with Nancy Santos.''; Eske demanded, already feeling his bad temper wanting to run wild on his tongue.''


    ''Hi, I¡­''


    ''I don''t want anyone else. I need Nancy. N-A-N-C-Y, Nancy. Get me, Nancy. Please.''


    ''So, I was saying...''


    Eske interrupted again: ''I don''t care how amazing you are or who you will advise me with. I have no idea why nobody gives a fucking chance to that woman doing business with me, but get me fucking Nancy!''


    ''It''s me. I''m Nancy, Mr Schrodinger. I''m Nancy Santos.''


    The voice sounded familiar to Eske, though he ought to figure out where from. She also spoke too softly and hesitatingly for a real estate agent. ''Why didn''t you say so?''


    ''Oh, well, I didn''t want to interrupt you.''


    ''Oh, sorry, I have been trying for days, and your colleagues were doing everything in their power not to.''


    ''I''m still a temp. Nobody likes to give the commission to a temp. So this is my first time.''


    ''How old are you?''


    ''18,''; came the hesitant reply.


    ''Oh, okay. That would explain a lot, hum. I was recommended by a, huh,a friend to sell the apartment I have. Can you help with it?''


    ''Yes, certainly I can. I already have a buyer. I just need to fill it, and I will send you the contract to be signed,'' she replied.


    ''What? But how? I didn''t give any details or location or..., how can there be already a buyer?''


    There was silence after that question. Then the girl began to stammer: ''Well, um, I know because, uh, I don''t know if I''m supposed to tell you the company''s name.''


    ''What company?''


    ''They are called WTL Pi, and they sent me their offer a month ago. I kept it secret from anyone else. They were very peculiar. Well, frankly, they were odd and sort of fishy.''


    ''Fishy! What kind of way do you mean?''


    ''Like, they made the most absurd demands about what they needed, and I thought they were crazy, but since they paid the full price and more without haggling, I agreed to make all the arrangements, even though I knew they were weird.''


    ''What did they demand you?''


    ''A blood sample.''


    ''A blood sample?''; Eske looked for the folder Vihann gave him and went through all the files present. He looked for Nancy Santos, which he found in a couple of seconds. Her T-DNA was 0.3%. He searched for Vihann''s file, T-DNA, 0.2%, Robert, 0.1%, and Penny, 0.8%. ''Did they say anything else?''If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ''They offered me a new job in a new location that sounded really nice.''


    ''New location? Where?''


    ''Um, somewhere far away.''


    ''Where?''


    She hesitated once more, then whispered: ''Home.''


    She hung up on him without telling him when did he need to vacate the place.


    Eske scratched the first line of the list and started with the second one. He ought to understand the undertone of the second task. The house wasn''t that messy or unclean. It could have been better, not Nona perfect. She would clean, disinfect the place, and arrange each detail in the house as it was aligned to an imaginary pattern he never understood.


    But truth be told, her ways made any space she touched cleaner, warmer and bigger. And the way she performed the cleaning task, the order and the how was extremely relaxing. Eske couldn''t justify why he had stopped to do it Nona''s way, and then he remembered why. Because he moved out and had to follow other rules that never made sense to him, he would only come back to escape.


    His apartment stopped at a home to become a safety bunker, and that is what he was cleaning. A shelter from all his past mistakes. But now there are no more mistakes. And if there are, then it needs to be cleaned all over again, and so on.


    It made a lot of sense.


    Eske sniffed the apartment: ''Does it really smells like smoke? Could get one of those lemon candles, perhaps.''


    So far, Eske has scratched two tasks, and the third requested him to read the line and simply quick smoking. The word peppermint made him anxious, made him think about her, and he was trying so hard not to. Well, nobody told him he had to follow the numerical order of the instructions. Although if it was he to write this list, there are numbers for a reason.


    But by the logic, if it was him, and he still needed to work on the map, wouldn''t it make more sense to smoke the last cigarette as a sign of victory? No? He really liked to smoke. Damn it. Would she like it? He never smoked near her. He has no idea what she would think about it. She could taste anything from a timeline. For sure, she could taste smoke, shit. Would it be bad? Of course, it would. Everyone hates it.


    Eske looked at the bud, wholly consumed and dropped it in the ashtray. ''Well, seems that one was the last one''; Eske scratched the third line on the list but was never able to recall if he had indeed thrown out the pack of cigarettes.


    It was almost noon, and Eske''s stomach was demanding lunch, but he couldn''t take his eyes off the wall. There it was, Pi, 3.14159265358, just as though they, the numbers, had been talking about him all this time! Numbers from all the places, locations, all the hours, days, months, years, everything all together with no coherence. He shivered to think as kind of a mathematical ghost haunting the wall and needed to be turned into a map.


    A map that anyone could use to travel, to go home, to seek refuge. Turning time into something as fundamental as gravity instead of this abstract concept. Eske just needed to understand how these numbers would dance to their own tune.


    It was still hard for Eske to hear the numbers. Almost a year now, they had turned into intangible whispers. He kept staring at the wall, soothing his wrist where his name and Nona''s were written. He looked at a strange drawing she had made once that looked like a simple ladder.


    ''It''s a spiral. When I jump in pairs, I jump several curves. We are at the extremity of a fractal and need to go up. And at this point, we are jumping down. I can''t go up if I don''t jump the curves.''; Nona explained with her most soothing voice. ''I can draw it for you if you want to.''; She told him back then.


    Eske nodded to himself, trying to concentrate only on what he could see. Her drawings were two sticks and vertical lines between them. But she said it was a spiral. It doesn''t look like a spiral. How could she jump two curves? Doesn''t make sense. Eske stood out of the chair and paced forth and back in front of the wall. Nona also told him they were at the bottom of a fractal and she needed to jump up. That is why her knees hurt, but to hurt as they did, meant she was landing on extra weight, her own weight.


    The more time she put in, the further she got. If she was below time, she would be exhausted. It couldn''t be just a spiral as a two-dimensional plane. It would explain the fractal but not the jumps. If it was a cone, she could just run the line, and to get higher, only a curve would be necessary, but she was very specific about the two curves. And even more. What could be a spiral in a ladder?


    Eske was rubbing his wrist. He was feeling a hitch. He looked at his and saw the ramification of his blue veins along his arm. ''Fuck.''; who was the one who said everything happens for a reason, which is a fancy word to explain that even chaos has a pattern. Everything is made of numbers, even humans.


    What Nona wanted to draw was a pair of strands that were held tightly together. Two long strands coil around each other in the shape of a double helix. The nucleotide contains both a segment of the molecule''s backbone, which holds the chain together. And a nucleobase which interacts with the other DNA strand in the helix. A biopolymer comprising multiple linked nucleotides.


    Time was made as anything else in the whole universe, with DNA, its own. There it was. Now all he needed to do was to start naming the unnamed lines. He could start by when he was, but how could he know? That was Nona''s part. And she wasn''t here. He felt utterly lost without her.

 02:15 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    Read a book, watch movies, go to the gym and repeat. This is the summary of the months following the discovery of the time shape map. Eske would entertain his days easily with chores and a healthy routine. But he was not one for idleness; there were always books that needed reading or films to be seen. He had never been much in favour of exercise. The thought of sweating made him feel queasy when it should have stimulated his blood. But, now, he found himself growing addicted to jogging in the park while listening to his favourite mix tape and sometimes when he had nothing, would feed the ducks at the lack. He had this constant suspicion he would be contacted by that strange organization that bought his apartment. He would need to vacant sooner or later, but still nothing. It seemed they wanted no contact from him whatsoever. Indeed their silence only added fuel to his suspicion. Read a book, watch movies, go to the gym and repeat. The nights were the worse time of the routine. Eske would let his mind take over and revisit his last 17 years. The despair of losing Nona, the toxic relationship with Alice, and how he behaved with her. Their short-termed marriage, he doesn''t even recollect the day. And the capsules with parts of Nona that was the worse. What tormented him at night, her memories, her childhood, the deeds against her humanity, those were the nocturnal voices he couldn''t silence at all. There was some sort of relief that she wasn''t here, that she wouldn''t witness what he did. The last task, forgive yourself, was something he couldn''t do. Not yet, and maybe never.


    The noise of plates clashing against each other. Cups placed over the table, and a clinging of cutlery ended with the dry sound of the drawing being closed. It smelled like apple pie and coffee coming from the kitchen, and then a soft whisper, a melody spiralling around his ear. Eske opened his eyes and tried to understand where the noise came from. Maybe the upstairs neighbours?


    He turned on the bedside, trying to ignore it. But whispers tangled with a familiar melody and steps. Soft steps paced inside the house. Someone was in there!


    He got up quickly and walked carefully to the kitchen. Nine. Eske felt petrified entirely on the spot. Nine. The door stood slightly open, and he saw through into what looked like a young woman dressed in sportswear, shorts and a top, completely stained with dirt, mud, dust and more he couldn''t identify. Her hair was tangled and covered in white powder, and her legs and arms were scratched with bruises. She turned and looked at him: ''Good morning, love of my life.''; with the hugest smile he hadn''t seen for a very long while.


    ''I made breakfast. Literally, I made everything. I''m so proud of myself. So coffee made chez moi. And made ?ppelkla-something-pie, but I want to call it Earth Pie, got the joke? Is smart, right?''; she stopped talking and saw him with no reaction, and her smile faded away. She looked at her bare feet full of blisters: ''Are you mad?''


    It took a very long minute for Eske to answer: ''No.''


    ''You look mad.''


    ''I''m not.''


    ''Please say something. Yell at me, shout, I don''t know Eske, you are kinda freaking me out right now. I know I totally went out of the chart. But I had to. I was so close! Baby, I was so close! And then, it wasn''t it. I was about to give up, and something amazing happened. Baby, I don''t know how to explain. It is like part of me which was gone and came back, puff. So I stopped looking, and I made it. I fucking made it. Two days and a half! The last guy took seven days. It must be a record somewhere! And I fucking built us a home. So please, if you''re mad, just tell me, get it out. I''m a big girl, and I can handle it. So do it!''; she stood still, looking at the floor, waiting for him to lose it.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Eske walked in her direction. He didn''t dare to touch Nona: ''What happened?''; was the only thing he could mumble.


    ''Baby, I just told you.''


    ''Why are you hurt?''; he grabbed her arm very carefully and caressed it with his thumb: ''You are all bruised and cut. Who did this?''


    ''No one, I was just clumsy.''; she answered. Eske looked more closely at her face and noticed some minor cuts over her nose. Then he looked at her hands and feet, covered in scratches. He placed his hand against her cheek. She was warm. ''I made pie.''; she dared to say.


    ''What year did we meet?''


    ''Hum, 1944. Why are you asking me this?''


    Eske nodded but was not yet quite satisfied: ''Okay, and what''s my middle name?''


    ''It''s Otto. Are we playing a game?''


    ''I know, you know this answer. I need something else...think...think...''; Eske mumbled to himself and clicked his tongue: ''Why don''t we have cats?''


    ''Because you said no, with the lame excuse you are allergic.''; Nona laughed and stopped immediately, forcing a serious face and repeating: ''You''re allergic.''


    ''So what''s the real reason?''


    Nona raised one eyebrow but answered: ''You are completely terrified of kitties.''


    ''Why?''


    ''I don''t know, you never told me.''; she replied. ''Why are you asking me all this? I know who you are! I can remember you! I said the proper greeting!''


    Eske''s eyes trembled, and he bit his lips: ''Fuck, it''s really you.''; he pulled her into his arms and hugged her as tight as he could with his nose in her hair. ''I so fucking missed you!''


    ''Baby, I was just gone for two days.''


    ''Two days?''


    ''Took me longer because of the pie.''


    ''It has been 17 years, Nona.''


    ''No. No, it can''t be. It was two days and a half! I wouldn''t leave you that long.'' She pushed herself away, and Eske let go. ''No, I wouldn''t do that to you. No!''; she started crying, and Eske put his arms around her again.


    ''It''s okay. It''s okay.''; Eske whispered in her ear: ''You''re here now.''


    ''It''s not okay!''; she shouted angrily.


    Eske held onto her tighter and kissed her forehead gently: ''It''s okay. I''m okay.''; he led her to the couch and swiped her tears with his fingers. ''But I need to tell you what happened while you were gone.''


    He told her everything, every detail. He was careful with his words but didn''t sugarcoat the last years. Told her about the five years he waited, about how the numbers went silent. How he got in trouble and ended up in a support group for anger management. About Alice and the lab. About why he married her and why he divorced. He told her everything. And at each word, he held her hand tighter, afraid she would stand up and leave again.


    ''Do you want to taste my pie?''; was what she said when he finished.


    ''Pie?''


    ''Earth Pie'', she smiled. ''I made it.''; she stood up quickly and brought a plate for each one. ''Here, try it.''; she sat down next to him and handed him a fork.


    Eske gave the first bite that would taste just like a memory.


    The morning sunlight gleamed in the kitchen with a warm stove still lit. Displaying dust, the leftovers of the flour floating against the ray. The beaming smile of his mother calling his name, and next to her, a tall man in a suit with long black locks holding a wooden pipe and staring at his son with yellow-golden eyes. His dad, who was a man always so serious, was kissing his wife and pulling his son close to lift him in his arms.


    Eske looked at Nona, astonished and asked: ''Why does this taste like home?''


    ''Because it was made at home.''; she gave him an innocent smile. ''Our home.''; and put the fork in her mouth. Eske just realised this was the first time he saw Nona eat and enjoy it.

 02:16 - Alice, the Time Traveller’s wife

    Eske woke up in a different timeline. A time when the sun was warm but not burning, a time when the air he breathed was lighter, a time when she was at his side, and he could brush her hair without the worry she''ll fade away.


    ''Good morning, love of my life.''; he whispered close to her ear, with no intention of waking her up. ''It''s all right now. You are safe here. I promise.''


    ''You''re already awake?''; she mumbled back. Eske felt how her body relaxed against him. She had been sleeping deeply until then. Her eyes were still closed.


    ''Keep sleeping, my love.''


    ''I''m awake now.''


    ''You want coffee?''; he asked softly. ''Or some toast or something else for breakfast?''


    She opened her eyes slowly. The light from outside made them glow brighter. She yawned and suddenly ran out of the bed and back again with a small velvet box that Eske recognised.


    He sat up quickly. His heart thudded heavily inside his chest as if it wanted to escape through his rib cage, like an eager bird trapped by its wings. It took a few seconds before he found words for what was going on in his mind. ''No, Nona, don''t you dare! Gimme that! Come on, baby, gimme that!''


    ''You don''t even know what I was about to do or to say!''; she protested, hiding the small box behind her back. ''Please let me explain ¡­ please? Please?''; she pleaded.


    ''Gimme the box, Nona! This is not how it''s done!''


    ''You don''t know even what it is!''; she looked at him while he was smirking. ''Oh, you went through my things?''; she said accusingly. ''I''m shocked! What did you find there?''


    ''Everything,''; he shrugged. ''Some magazines and that sort of thing. Bridal things.''; he said, struggling to hold his laughter.


    Nona stared at him, looking into his eyes: ''You know.''


    ''Yeah, I know.''


    ''It was supposed to be a surprised.''; she said, handing him the velvet box.


    ''Well, it was when I opened it.''; he said, picking the most petite ring and taking Nona''s hand. ''Should I be on the floor on my knee?''


    She shook her head and smiled mischievously. ''I think our bedroom bed is the perfect place.''


    ''Nona Anna...''


    ''Yes!''


    ''Love, I didn''t finish!''


    ''Oh, sorry..., go ahead.''; she laughed.


    ''Nona Anna Perenna, what I meant to tell you was... I am truly happy to have met you and plan to spend until my last day by your side. I would like...''


    ''Yes!''; she interrupted.


    ''I didn''t finish. Let me finish!''


    ''Sorry, go on. Go.''


    ''Would you allow me to ask you, with no interruption...''; Eske paused in purpose, holding his laughter.


    ''Ask me? ... ask me! Go on!'';


    His face hurt from smiling. This would be the exact moment he would forgive himself and allow him to be happy: ''To marry me?'';


    Her face lit up, her numbers sang, and she glowed like a Christmas tree. ''YES!''.


    ''Yes?''


    ''Yes!''


    ''You''re sure? There is no refund!''


    She kissed him, her chest pressing against his, trying to merge, feeling each other. Eske needed this after so many years apart, and she knew it.


    ''So I wanted to ask you something, why does your ring say FM at the end and mine say AM?''; asked Eske removing the ring of his finger and showing her. ''Do I need to fix it, baby?''


    ''None is wrong. If you push that line, it will say FM and will be tuned with mine. They have a radio frequency, so we know where each one is. So, I don''t lose you, and you don''t lose me.''; she smiled at him.


    ''Who made this?''; he held her hand and examined every single detail of the tiny little gold band.


    ''Who else is supposed to make it? It was me.''; she answered proudly.


    ''I see¡­'', Eske continued caressing the ring. ''Why use radio frequency and not GPS?''; he asked.


    ''Because I can tune it to any radio station in the world just by pushing a little line.''; she replied, smiling. ''And also, not all timelines have GPS. So, at least, this was the broadest signal I could remember.''


    ''I''m speechless. This is fucking awesome.''; Eske couldn''t hide his excitement.


    ''Do you want to see your new house?''; she asked, changing topic.


    ''Sure!''; he nodded sky-high.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.''Mr. Schrodinger, please follow me!''; she got out of bed and bowed.


    Eske stood up too and followed her, still stunned.


    The two of them walked down the corridor. The hall had nine doors. Eske opened the first one and looked at a minimalist room with white walls and wooden floors. There was a big window overlooking a huge garden.


    ''That''s the guest room.''; Nona explained.


    ''I like it!''; he exclaimed. ''What about the others?''


    ''These next rooms are reserved.''; she pointed to the door of each room.


    Eske tried to open the next door. It was locked. The other was also locked, and the next was the same. ''Should I ask or...''


    ''Not yet.''; she said. ''Just not yet. Trust me.''


    ¡®Is it where you hid the cats?¡¯


    This is the story of the boy who could hear numbers with the happiest of all endings.


    <hr>


    Alice was removed from any machinery. She was left alone in a hospital room to die alone with her thoughts. There was nothing else to do besides waiting and reading a last book. Waiting to die was a very dull activity.


    A knock on her door, and a long shadow entered the room: ''Alice?''


    She raised her eyes from the unread pages to see his face once again: ''Day is that you?'' she said. There were tears of joy in those words. It had been so many years since he''d looked at her as if she mattered, as though anything could matter more than himself. He came forward slowly, pulling a chair next to her bed and putting out his hand towards hers.


    ''How are you feeling?''; he asked.


    ''So you''re the ghost who will..., I don''t know what ghosts do,''; she smiled, confused and sad.


    ''No, no ghost darling, I''m pretty much alive.'' His smile broadened into an almost-laughing grin. Alice''s heart soared like a bird released from its cage. The man she loved most in all the world stood before her, looking just as handsome now as when they first met. If not better!


    ''How, I saw...''


    ''You saw me die after you pushed me? Yeah, I died. That was one of my most horrific death.''


    He took her hands in both of his and held them gently between his own. They sat quietly together, holding each other''s gaze until the sound of approaching footsteps made him look up. A nurse was coming down the corridor. ''She is good. If we need something, I''ll call.''; Day said to the nurse. She nodded and went away.


    ''Day, I didn''t mean to. I didn''t want to...''; Alice began, but he cut her off by placing his finger against her lips.


    ''Shhh, shh. It is all fine, all is fine.'' He leaned over and kissed her forehead softly.


    ''So what are you doing here? What happened?''; her voice quivered with excitement and fear.


    ''I''ve come back because you had a fascinating life. You are... well, were, the wife of the most remarkable time traveller that ever existed.''; he paused then added: ''Did he leave you anything?''


    Alice shook her head, unable to speak. ''No, why would he?''


    ''Oh darling'', Day sighed, ''I was hoping you would have meant something to him. How sad.''


    ''I don''t understand. You came here because of Eske?''


    Day laughed loudly. ''Yes, yes, and also to retrieve the favour.''


    The door opened, and another nurse came in: ''Ma''am, are you alright? Do you need anything?''


    ''Could you please escort this gentleman? I would like to rest in peace.''


    ''You know what is funny, Alice? If you hadn''t done what you did, I would have stayed with you. I wouldn''t have met her. I wouldn''t be able to live without her. And she doesn''t even know how much I love her. So it''s really your fault! Every fucking thing I did, I do and will do, is your fucking fault. I do hope, darling, you have a miserable death. As you have been having along all timelines.''; he came closer to her, his lips almost touching hers: ''Because if you don''t, I will be sure you do, darling. I will make sure you fucking do.''; he forced a kiss upon her mouth, forcing her to open her lips. Despite herself, she felt the pressure of his tongue inside and tasted foul blood. Then suddenly, he pulled away, turned around, walking back towards the door. As he reached the threshold, he turned back and yelled: ''Goodbye, Alice, time traveller''s ex-wife!''; and laughed as he disappeared through the doorway.


    ''Who''s that, Ms Dawn?''


    ''A ghost...''

 03:01 - The Ava Incident

    <blockquote>


    So that was the story of the boy who could hear numbers. My story. The guy sitten on the floor of the bathroom crying with a pee stick in his hand and a key. I''m still trying to get my shit together to stand up, wash my face, go to the kitchen, pick up the cake and go to my daughter''s birthday as if nothing is going on. Come on, Schrodinger, you can do this! It is just a tiny play of let''s pretend.


    </blockquote>


    ''Knock, knock, can I come in?''; asked Robert while knocking on the bathroom doorframe with a six-pack of cold beer. One thing about Pi, everyone forgets easily to lock the doors.


    Eske raised his eyes, exhausted and dishevelled with dark circles under his bloodshot yellow-golden eyes and nodded his head to Robert to sit next to him on the cold tile floor. Robert joined him, offering a fresh ice bottle of beer which Eske took as he drained it down in one gulp and then handed it back. He wiped away some beads of foam from his lips with his sleeve.


    ''I''m sorry,'' said Robert apologetically, placing a hand against Eske''s shoulder. ''It''s going to be fine.''


    ''Robert, Penny..., Penny is missing too.'' said Eske. His voice cracked like an old man trying hard not to cry.


    ''I know.''; replied Robert. ''They called me from HQ. Marie Sue told me before leaving for the party. I know, buddy. It''s fine.''


    The two men were silent for a long time before Eske broke the silence again by passing him the pee stick. ''Also, this, I''m going to be a dad.''


    ''Congratulation.''; Robert smiled at his friend until he realised and understood why they were hidden in a bathroom, sitting on the floor drinking beer: ''Shit!''


    ''Shit, indeed.''


    ''Are you going to call up an SCA?''; asked Robert.


    ''No,''; answered Eske shaking his head. ''Not yet. Not now. Later after we sing Ava''s happy birthday.''


    Robert took the stick from Eske''s hand and asked: ''How long do you think she is pregnant?''


    ''One month.''; responded Eske. ''Maybe less. How many weeks do you need to give a positive?''


    ''3 weeks or around 21 days. Nona didn''t complain about being late?''; inquired Robert.


    ''Not really.''; replied Eske, wiping off his cheeks.


    ''Well, we went through this one time. We will go through a second time.''; he looked into Eske''s face. ''She''ll be here in no time. You know that. That woman is crazy about you and Ava.''


    ''If she remembers...''; whispered Eske.


    ''You need another beer! And me too.''; said Robert opening two bottles of beer and passing them over.


    Eske chuckled: ''Fuck, they are gone, and everyone is pretending that nothing happens just so my baby girl has a nice party.''


    Robert laughed aloud, but when he saw Eske staring down and playing with a key and looking very serious, he stopped laughing abruptly: ''What''s that?''


    ''A key.''


    ''What''s the key for?''; asked Robert, raising his eyebrows.


    ''Oh, shit.''; sighed Eske.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.''What?''; repeated Robert.


    ''That''s probably my new kid''s room.''; replied Eske.


    ''So what? Aren''t we not going to look at it?''


    ''Not yet. Now we need to get our asses out of the floor, get that cake out of the fridge and sing my baby girl happy birthday.''


    Eske arrived with Robert and a giant frosty cake at Ava''s party. The celebration took place at Robert and Penny''s yard, where a number of their friends were gathered around an improvised barbeque pit, all smoking or eating as they chatted among themselves in the glowing light of candles and torches on hot summer evenings when it seemed that time could not be ever interrupted.


    The children played about underfoot amidst piles of cushions and toys.


    At the same time, the adults sat near the open firepit sipping cold beer from paper cups. Eske looked for his daughter when he finally found a short pinkish astronaut with fairy wings running in his direction. He caught her by the hand just before she ran into him and lifted her up: ''There is my birthday girl!''


    ''Higher!''; she demanded between giggles.


    Eske lifted her higher as his arms would allow him: ''Having fun?''


    She nodded enthusiastically. She took her helmet off, revealing her long black hair. Her black eyes widened over Eske''s shoulder: ''Where''s mummy?''


    ''Mummy is late, sweetheart. I told you on the phone.''; then, seeing she might not have heard what he said, he repeated himself aloud: ''I''m sorry, but Mummy will be coming later tonight because she has some work to do.''; he tried to explain.


    The child frowned: ''Is something wrong? Why are you here and not with mummy?'' Ava was today seven years old, and Eske was still baffled by how smart she was. Compared to other children of her age, Ava would put most grown-ups in a corner.


    ''That is an excellent question, sweetheart.''; Eske replied seriously. ''Daddy is waiting to see before I need to call upon an SCA. You know what it is, right?''


    ''State of Calamity Alert, which activates the proper protocols to keep the safety of our world. If mummy disappears, is automatically a MI SCA after 2 hours of SLA.''; the child explained as if she was reciting from the book.


    Eske scratched the back of his neck while sitting on one of the cushions with her on his lap. ''Do you know which protocol daddy will need to start?''


    The child shook her head.


    He sighed heavily, but a smile smirked out on one of the corners of his mouth: ''Ava''s Incident Protocole. Happy Birthday, sweetheart.''


    As Eske watched her face lighten up, her eyes widened, and she started to jump while clapping her hands: ''I''m going to be a big sister? I''m going to be a big sister!''; and she ran around the party shouting: ''I''m going to be a big sister!


    Ava Perenna Schrodinger had two dreams. First, be the oldest sister of all her upcoming siblings. And second, return to space.

 03:02 - The Ava Incident

    Nona stood in the middle of the flat, checking each corner of the house. While Eske was hiding specific equipment in cabinets and closets. They had food from their homeland for two to three weeks, so she would be able to eat, but it could be stretched to double if Eske bought his own since he wasn''t as sensitive to taste as she was.


    ''What''s with the face, love?''; he asked while scanning the house for any improbability or obstacle he missed.


    ''Is my face. I don''t have any other.''


    ''You look worried.''; he said, walking close to her. He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes: ''Just a word, and we jump back home.''


    ''We can''t do that. This is the most effective way. And we have done this. It is easy peasy.'';


    ''Are you sure?''; he whispered. ''We can find other ways.''


    She nodded and shrugged: ''Yeah, I''m sure. I''m not nervous at all. I just hate it when...''


    ''When you forget?''; he finished her sentence. ''I''ll be fine. I''m right next to you.''


    She frowned a forced smile in reply, and he hugged her tightly around her waist with one hand on top of her head. The sensation of his body against hers made her feel safe, always: ''I hate to forget about you and us and all the others. Makes me feel alone in my own head.''


    ''Remember, you don''t really forget. Your head is just adjusted to the timeline. Somewhere inside your beautiful brain, I''m there haunting the crap out of you.''; he chuckled.


    Eske kissed Nona, pressing himself hard against her until she huffed. ''I have more where that came from.''; and finally made her laugh. ''Look, love, we are always in contact with the control room, and we will always know how much download is missing. We know your habits when you are downloading. I will be responsible for meals and your meds, and if you are unresponsive at all, I''m still here to take care of you. Always! And if things get really bad, we have our codes and our exercices, and we will trigger you out. I won''t let anything happen to you. You''ll be safe, I promise.''


    ''What about you?''


    ''I''m a big boy. I can take care of myself and my wife.''; he hugged her more tightly and said: ''Maybe we could make this a game, love.''; Eske suggested.


    She didn''t know what he meant by that but decided to let him explain anyway. It might help relieve some tension.


    ''So instead of you having the pressure to feel you have to remember me, or everything. Why won''t we don''t use it to roleplay.''; Eske explained.


    ''Oh,''; Nona replied.


    Eske grinned mischievously and began kissing her neck: ''So imagine you rented the apartment and need a new roommate. Which happens to be this very dashing sexy, charismatic guy who never leaves and eventually, in two, three days, sleeps in the same room as you.'';


    ''Wait! You think it only takes three days to get me sleeping with you?''; she almost stammered.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ''Less?''; he laughed.


    ''I''m not that easy!''; she protested.


    ''Why? You think you can resist me?''; he teased, flexing one of his arms.


    ''Let''s make a bet. Let''s see if you''re right.''; Nona challenged.


    He smiled broadly and pulled away from her. ''What do we say?''


    ''30 days.''; she proposed.


    His grin grew wider: ''No way, I''ll win every time. What are we betting?''


    ''You give me a cat.''; she said.


    ''Okay... I see the game has become serious. Well then, if I win and know I will, you will forget the cat thingy, maybe a dog? I''m open to a doggy.''


    ''Fine.''; she agreed, giving her hand, and they shook to seal the deal.


    ''Is it making you feel better?''


    ''Yes,''; she admitted. ''Thank you.''; they both giggled like mischievous kids who were about to break the rules.


    ''Food is stored, and all the equipment is in place. Your phone is connected to HQ via GPS, so it is okay to take off your ring. I won''t resent it, joking, love. The guys got you some job working from home, and I only have to trace the new candidate. It should take a couple of hours. I will do so once Vihann sends me their file. So you''ll never be alone. I will seduce the shit out of you, I promise. I will seduce you so much you are going to fall head over heels for me, all over again.''; he joked.


    But she didn''t answer. She didn''t reply. Nona''s face lost any trace of expression, and her eyes became empty. Eske could see the hair of her neck rising over her cold skin. He could guess she had sound deprivation, and finally, black particles floated out of her mouth like a shy breeze.


    He looked around the living room, chasing with his eyes any sort of time abnormally. At the same time, he surrounded Nona''s waist with his arm. At any moment, she will fall down and seizure. And he wanted to be sure she wouldn''t hurt herself.


    He heard heavy steps of high heels walking around the halls.


    A young woman was looking for something. She checked her coat, drawers, purse and, again, her coat pockets. ''Found it!''; and the woman saves an epi to her coat. She looked at herself in the mirror hanging on the wall and left the flat with a hasty step.


    The vision disappeared into black dust, returning between Nona''s lips.


    Eske took his phone and quickly dialled: ''HQ?''


    ''Boss-man! Vihann from the other side. How''re things going?''


    ''Check the download, please, think it started'';


    ''Oh wow, wow, wow, it is super fast!''


    ''Meaning?''


    ''272 days and you guys are done!''


    ''So we have¡­ what 9 months to download and recruit the new candidate. What is the time conversion?


    ¡®Three shifts, Boss. We are already building up the rota as we speak.¡¯


    ¡®Do you have the file ready?''; Eske asked, holding Nona firmly, who didn''t show any convulsion yet.


    ''So, file sent! The candidate is fire! She is so unique! She has a T-DNA of 0.05%, which is the lowest after yours. But not only, but this woman is also a gem, and her name is...''; Eske''s phone fell to the floor, dropping the call while Nona''s body was spasming.


    He held her head with one arm around her forehead and the other restraining her wrists together. He went down with her slowly to the ground.


    Eventually, after a couple of minutes, she woke up slowly, but her eyes widened when she saw Eske: ''What are you?''; she whispered: ''There is nothing like you.''; Nona would always tell this to Eske, and he still couldn''t understand it.


    So, he simply smiled and said: ''Hi, I''m Eske, your new roommate.''


    <blockquote>


    Happy wife, happy life. Right?


    </blockquote>

 03:03 - The Ava Incident

    Nona woke up with the sound of splashing water from the shower. It must be the new guy taking a bath. She rubbed the back of her hand against her mouth. There was a persistent rusty metallic chia in her mouth. She felt nauseated. She left the bed and passed by the wide-open bathroom door. She could see everything. The tall man was standing under the spray, his naked body gleaming wetly as it flexed his hands, brushing his long hair to the pulsating jet. He turned around, and by reflex, Nona slammed the door, feeling her face burning. ''What the fuck is wrong with him?'' she thought.


    She went to the kitchen, at least to get coffee, to erase this taste from her mouth. But found two packs of coffee. Same brand, same size and same flavour. Are they splitting groceries? Which one is hers? She chose randomly and filled in the machine. While waiting for the coffee to drip, Eske showed behind her, shirtless as always. Nona rolled her eyes: ''You know the bathroom as a door.''


    ''Okay, are we trying to communicate being passive-aggressive?''; he tried to say it while sounding serious but hardly could hold a grin.


    ''First thing in the morning that I saw were you naked!''; she protested.


    ''Why? Any complaints? You didn''t like what you saw?''; Eske locked his eyes on the two packs of coffees over the counter: ''Bab...Nona, which coffee did you use?''


    ''Why? They are the same. If I used yours, don''t worry, you may use mine.''


    ''Is not okay. The left side is my food, and the right side is yours. Is that okay?''; Eske said while smelling the packs to know which one came from home and which didn''t. But to him, they smelled the same. ''Nona, can you smell each, please?''


    ''Why are you being weird? Is just coffee, dude.''


    By the expression on Eske''s face, she understood he didn''t like to be called *dude*, which was amusing to her,


    ''Please, just smell it.''


    She rolled her eyes but obliged. Indeed each pack had a different smell. The first smelled something earthly wet, and the other smelled like nutty coffee with a weak aroma of roasted. ''The second smell better.''


    ''That is yours. Keep it in a place that you know is yours, okay?''; Eske said seriously but smiled, showing two dimples on his cheek.


    ''You are so weird.''; Nona walked away from the counter.


    ''Are you hungry?''; he asked.


    ''Not really.''


    He took some pieces of bread from the fridge, put them on a toaster and instructed: ''Sit. I''ll prepare you something.''


    ''Dude, I''m not hungry.''


    ''I don''t care, sit.''; he said, pointing to one of the kitchen''s stools.


    ''Are you always that bossy, dude?''; she sat down. She was starting to get annoyed with herself with the *dude''s* prank but saw him frowning his eyebrows whenever she said it was worth it.


    ''Yes, I am,'' he replied. ''When it''s needed, dude.''


    After a few minutes, Eske brought two plates with sliced toasted bread, cucumber and cheese. On the top were slices of ham and boiled eggs: ''Hope you like it.''


    ''You didn''t need to do all of this.''; Nona complained while giving a huge bite. ''Didn''t need to have all this work.''


    ''It''s fine. Don''t worry about it.''; Eske finished eating and then stood up. ''Do you want more coffee?''; he asked her.


    ''No thanks, I''ll go for a walk or something.''; she answered, standing up.


    ''Outside?''


    ''Yes, outside.''


    ''Why?''


    ''Just because.''


    ''Where will you go?''


    ''To the park, maybe.''; Nona shrugged her shoulders.


    ''In this weather? It looks cold.''


    ''Yeah, it is okay. I think I''ll survive.''


    ''Alright.''; Eske nodded. ''I go with you!''


    ''Don''t bother. I just need some fresh air..''; Nona started walking away.


    ''What a coincidence, I need fresh air too!''; Eske shouted after her.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Nona grabbed a paperback and saved some bread and crumbles. ''What is that for?''; Eske asked, intrigued while dressing a shirt quickly.


    ''I like the ducks.''


    ''We are making progress, I see.'' Nona did not understand the remark.


    They arrived at the park and found a bench near the lake. It was freezing, and she was just wearing a sweater. As for him, it was only a shirt and a suit blazer. The sun had not yet risen in full strength over the town, but its faint light still glimmered through the naked tree''s branches with an intense golden glow. She removed the paper bag and started throwing crumbs of bread into the lake. The ducks came swarming around it like a flock of eager birds. Eske got out his phone and aimed down among their heads, where they were all huddled together. ''Look.''


    ''Oh, that''s pretty. Can you forward it to me?''


    ''Sure.''; he pointed his phone in her direction while she was distracted and took a couple of photos of her.


    ''What are you doing?''


    He laughed and showed them on the screen, one of her smiling while strands of hair brushed her cheek, another looking straight ahead under which there was no smile. He said: ''You look nice either way.'' Then he put away his phone and watched her throw more breadcrumbs to the hungry ducks who seemed particularly fond of white-bread scraps.


    ''How did you find this place?'' asked Eske after a while.


    She turned toward him, smiled, and then looked back across the pond again. A few other people walked by, a man with two small children walking hand in hand, a young woman talking earnestly about something or other with her boyfriend beside her.


    ''Couple of years ago, when I lived one block away, over there.''; she said, pointing to a street opposite from where they stay now. ''I used to come here before and after work. I didn''t like to go home.''


    A boy and girl went past without noticing them, holding hands tightly. They sat on another bench next to them, watching the ducks as them between teenage kisses.


    Until Eske broke the silence: ''A couple of years ago?''


    ''Yeah. Why?''


    ''Is just, huh.''; Eske looked up at the pond. Nona noticed his expression go blank all of a sudden. The wind picked up suddenly and blew some leaves onto the path before them. There was nothing else remarkable about it except that Eske stared at them intently. His eyes widened slightly, and he shivered.


    ''It is getting cold, and I need to start the PC and work soon. Otherwise, I get fired.''; she said.


    Eske nodded vaguely and made no reply. They remained silent all the way back home until they reached their apartment building. Her key opened the door quickly, and she led him inside and upstairs to the third floor where her flat lay. While Nona went to her office room, Eske sat on the couch. He began fiddling with the remote control of the TV set.


    She passed by to pick up a water bottle and asked: ''Are you okay?''


    ''Yeah, yeah, I''m fine. I was just doing some math mentally. Nothing else.''; Eske said with an absent tone.


    Nona frowned and returned to her desk. When she came back half an hour later, he was still sitting on the couch but this time with his laptop. She couldn''t shake off the feeling that something serious had happened. He returned his gaze to her: ''Are you feeling any different?''


    ''What?''


    ''Like something that isn''t as it should be? Anything?''


    ''No,'' she replied, ''I feel normal.''


    ''Okay.''; he said and kept typing on his laptop.


    ''What an odd man, I know how to pick them.''; she thought.


    But as soon she turned her back on him, he shouted: ''If you need something, call me, I''m here.''


    She couldn''t explain why those words made her face feel like fire.


    **Now talking in #TGTCTT**


    **Evil_Kitty ([email protected]</a>@rth) has joined #TGTCTT


    <Evil_Kitty> File was sent already, did you see it?**


    <@Iknowaguy> Not yet, how''s the download?


    **<Evil_Kitty> smooth like the fur of a kittie uwu**


    <@Iknowaguy> I need you to recheck it


    **<Evil_Kitty> as I said is going fine we are at 5%


    <Evil_Kitty> not bad for two days


    <Evil_Kitty> Is something going on?**


    <@Iknowaguy> WTL is messing with her. I think is messing with her memories


    <@Iknowaguy> she is saying she has been here for two years


    <@Iknowaguy> right memories at the wrong timeline? or wrong memoires at the right timeline?


    **<Evil_Kitty> she doesn''t mess up TL''s, that is for sure. And none of you ever visited .**245863150, at least on the record.


    **<Evil_Kitty> I don''t think that is the answer boss. and I cant work on it without more data. Try to ask her when she comes bac to herself**


    <@Iknowaguy> Neither I, I need a new problem case open for this and to keep an eye


    <@Iknowaguy> I''m missing something and can''t understand what.


    <@Iknowaguy> keep this channel open, if I need to contact you, so we keep the logs and maybe request for a second hand on the server room. I really need you Vihann to focus on this!


    **<Evil_Kitty> I''m fine, think you''re overthinking it AGAIN. She is a vortex her brains swirls around and gets a bit confused.


    <Evil_Kitty> soooooooooooo netflix and chill, they have netflix right?


    <Evil_Kitty> don''t you have a bet to win?**


    **<Evil_Kitty> so far is 59% of HQ saying you''ll lose and adopt a cat


    <Evil_Kitty> I''m on your side always, I am more of a dog guy**


    <@Iknowaguy> I Am happy to see everyone is entretained


    <@Iknowaguy> please don''t forget to open the incident. We really need the root cause of this mixed memories


    **<Evil_Kitty> what about the file?**


    <@Iknowaguy> First thing tomorrow, is that good?


    **<Evil_Kitty> yes, nice pics btw! uwu liked and commented!**


    **Evil_Kitty ([email protected]</a>@rth) Quit ("")**

 03:04 - The Ava Incident

    A tall, wiry woman of forty with hard brown eyes and thinning dark hair that she wore in a severe bun behind her head, put on her coat and black high heels and wrapped her neck in a knit cap, but before leaving the house, she looked in the mirror hanging on the wall Just to be sure her make-up was not as blotchy as usual.


    No, today it looked perfect. She left the house and checked her purse. Phone, yes, it''s here. Keys to the house too, but she felt a tingling in her head as if something wasn''t in the right place, something was missing, her epi! She returned home again, opened the drawer of the dresser in the corridor, and took out the medicine. ''I swear a shrimp is going to kill me one of these days.''


    She heard a meow from the kitchen: ''I''ll be back in a few hours. So don''t be dramatic!''


    The cat didn''t really pay attention and licked its paws. ''See you later.''


    And when she was about to open the door, the doorbell rang. She checked through the peephole and saw a tall man in a suit and long black locks, attractive for sure, with strange yellowish golden eyes, just like a cat.


    She opened the door slightly: ''Hi...''


    The man holding a large envelope in his hands smiled wide and asked: ''Are you, Ava Garcia?''


    ''Who wants to know?''


    He showed her a card, where she could read in bold WTL, Eske O Shrodinger and said: ''I''m Eske, and I would like to talk to you.'' He had an airy voice that sounded very much at ease.


    ''I''m not interested in converting to any religion you are preaching. I''m agnostic! So if you exc...''


    Eske laughed and interrupted: ''It has nothing to do with god or religion, I...''


    Ava''s turn to interrupt: ''Not interested in politics, surveys, vacuums or any other scams!''


    ''Just give me a chance to explain and...''; Eske gave two steps back when an orange cat purred around her ankles.


    ''And I don''t trust people who don''t like cats.''


    ''I''m allergic. Terribly allergic.''; Eske replied while scratching his nose.


    ''You don''t do this often, do you?''; she said while her eyes wandered on Eske from head to toe.


    ''No, I don''t, indeed.''; Eske came again closer to her and asked: ''What else?''


    ''You''re someone important, at least in your niche. You don''t weigh your words, arrogant with an explosive temper. Calculist, extremely mentalist, perhaps some sort of genius. What is it? Needs to be something logical and rational that respects rules and order. I would guess science. But something about your eyes they are misplaced while you talk with me. Even right now that I speak, something is distracting you. Sounds, like you, can hear something. What is it? Colours? No..., that doesn''t fit you. What fits you is the violent truth, patterns marching as soldiers.''


    ''Numbers.''; Eske replied, astonished. ''I hear numbers. Yes, they are very distracting sometimes. And this was very impressive.''


    ''That makes sense. Come in. We need both a cup of tea, it is cold, and I''m tired of standing in front of my door, and I don''t want neighbours to gossip about who visits me.''; she invited him into the house and went to the kitchen. When she returned, Eske sat comfortably on a chair across the table, looking at her. The cat jumped up onto the windowsill and sat there watching them.


    ''You are definitely not allergic.''; she said while pouring hot water over two teacups.


    ''Sounds more acceptable than saying I''m terribly afraid of them.''; he answered. ''Trying to keep a certain reputation.''; he chuckled.


    ''An acceptable lie for an uncomfortable truth.''; she agreed. They drank their tea silently for several minutes. Then she asked: ''How did you find me?''


    ''Ava Garcia is someone remarkable. Unique.''; he explained. ''We have been following your steps for a while. For a very long while.''


    ''What is so remarkable? I have the most boring life. I never did anything that called upon attention on myself.''; she insisted.


    ''Yes, you''ve, Ava.''; Eske responded. ''You just traced my profile in a couple of minutes and didn''t miss one detail. People who work for me usually need to do their homework before tracing any profile.''; he added after a moment. ''I came here thinking I would recruit another agent. I thought that my main engineer just overreacted because you are...''


    ''I am..., what?''


    ''He thinks you are very attractive. He hasn''t stopped inquiring about you.''; he told Ava while staring at the cat, still observing them.


    ''You don''t look like a matchmaker to me.''


    ''Because I''m not.''; Eske laughed. ''But I do want to recruit you.''; he opened the envelope and took the sheet out to place it in front of Ava.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.''What is this?''; she asked. ''Why do you think I should join you? I¡¯m not looking to change my career path.''


    ''This is your DNA profile.''; Eske pointed to a square with bold fonts T-DNA: 0.05%: ''You have the lowest temporal footprint after mine. You are indeed unique, Ava.''


    ''What does it means?''


    ''Have you ever heard about the Mandala effect?''; asked Eske while he turned the sheet to the other side, which was blank and started to draw a circle of circles, one overlaying others being untouched.


    ''Is when people recollect things that happen in a certain way that didn''t? Is that right?''; she tried to remember.


    ''Not quite right''; Eske explained: ''Officially, it''s false collective memory. And you would ask why? Let''s take the example of Mandala, after who this theory is named, so he died in 2013. However, countless people remember him dying in prison in the 1980s.''; he continued drawing circles overlaying circles: ''Mandala did, in fact, died in 1980, and he died in 2013. Now the year that he died doesn''t matter. What matters is the phenomenon of having information flooding the wrong timeline,''


    ''I''m not sure I follow you, Mr Schrodinger.''; Ava confessed.


    ''So let me explain how it works.''; he began: ''This world is a timeline. Don''t care about in which year you are. It really doesn''t matter, now imagine two worlds colliding. It seems inoffensive. What wrongs could it be a mix of events or data? Right? Until, instead of two, we talk about three, four and so on. And when you realise you have a bomb dropped over your roof that doesn''t belong to your timeline.''


    ''If that is true, why is it my first time hearing about this?''


    ''Because there is no version of you anywhere or anywhen else. You are immune to the Mandala effect. People usually think that a low footprint is some sort of a gift or, I don''t know, a superpower. Makes us special. It makes us unique but also fragile.''; he stopped and stared at the cat watching him. ''Your DNA signature, your fingerprint shows me that you are like one of us. When you die, that''s it. There is no second chance. No deja vu or this weird feeling you have saw it before. No strange dream of a life that makes no sense. This is it. We break. There is no way to fix us back.''; he finished his sentence by placing the pen on top of the sheet.


    ''No heaven for me?''; she sighed. ''I''m in peace with death.''


    ''In 262 days, this timeline will be erased, or my timeline and many others like us will be affected.''


    ''What about the other 7 billion? Everyone will eventually die with the erasing of the timeline.''; she replied.


    ''I''m not worried about them. They''ll wake up as themselves in another timeline. As long they are above 1%, they are saved. But you aren''t.''; Eske said while turning the page and showing her T-DNA percentage again.


    ''What''s the price?''; she asked without hesitation. ''What''s the catch of eternal salvation?''


    ''Eternal salvation?''; Eske chuckled, crossing his arms: ''That is a first, huh? There is none. Housing, food, healthcare, energy, transportation, job... whatever you can think of, we can guarantee that to you.''


    ''What''s the catch?''; she insisted: ''Nothing in this life is free.''


    ''We do have strict rules, not gonna lie about that. But so far, everyone seems okay with them, and everyone works really, really hard to keep our timeline intact from others.''


    ''How?''


    ''I can''t tell.''


    ''Why?''


    ''Because the answer is less believable than a pretty lie.''; he brushed his hair above his head: ''Would you like me to lie?''


    ''No. I don''t. But this is a lot of information to take in. And although I can''t find any trace in your face that you are lying or making these things up. I here thinking why someone like you needs to save someone like me.''; she said while taking another sip of her tea.


    ''Because we don''t leave our people behind.''; he replied. ''Our goal is to preserve life. To prevent those below 1% from vanishing into nothing, to disappear without a trace.''


    ''I see''; she nodded and said, '' Okay, I need to think about it.''


    ''To think?''; Eske repeated.


    ''About the offer.''; she clarified: ''There is no hurry. I mean, I won''t die tomorrow anyway.''; she said, smiling and placing the teacup down.


    Now talking in #TGTCTT


    Evil_Kitty ([email protected]</a>@rth) has joined #TGTCTT


    <Evil_Kitty> How did it go? When is she jumping? <@Iknowaguy> I don¡¯t have the details yet


    <Evil_Kitty> Did I miss something?


    <@Iknowaguy> She needs to think.


    <Evil_Kitty> There is nothing to think! I have her accesses ready! Her house is ready! Did you told her? Marie Sue even prepared a welcome party at the gates!


    <@Iknowaguy> Yes¡­


    <Evil_Kitty> She will change her mind. She is very intelligent. She wouldn¡¯t just refuse.


    <@Iknowaguy> I will check tomorrow


    <Evil_Kitty> I trust you


    <@Iknowaguy> I will check tomorrow


    Evil_Kitty ([email protected]</a>@rth) Quit ("")

 03:05 - The Ava Incident

    Nona closed the laptop after sending her last e-mail. Her back hurt from sitting at an awkward angle all day long. She left her office room and walked towards the kitchen, where she would have a cup of coffee. The coffee machine was still on and warm.


    The house was terribly quiet without Eske. It felt empty, and she couldn''t put her finger around why. She barely knew the guy. Although she has to admit she sorta liked the morning shower display. Fuck, the guy is hot. She should have been quiet about it. Nona gave her first sip of the coffee, which tasted as if filled with coins and screws. She spat it back in the mug and threw it down the drain.


    The door hall opened, and she could hear Eske taking off his shoes. She greeted him with a broad smile: ''Hi!''


    ''Hey.''; he said in a low tone and went directly to his room. He didn''t even look at Nona. And closed his door. Did she do or say something she shouldn''t? And why would she care? He was nothing to her, just a random dude paying half the rent.


    She went to the living room and turned her console on. She wasn''t really in the mood to socialise either. Why? Because he didn''t tell you hi with a smile? Really? Why would you think a guy like that would look to a girl like you. Nona tried to focus on the game but repeatedly died on the same jump. ''This is ridiculous.''; she mumbled and tried again.


    She felt weird, almost as if she couldn''t breathe, and her heart was drumming fast and loud. She could swear she was about to have a heart attack. Her arms and hands were tingling, and the room seemed to shift completely to the left. Was she sick? Was something terrible about to happen to her? She dropped the remote controller and started to touch her skin. She tried to breathe calmly. She tried to inhale, exhale, and inhale again. The more she tried to remain calm, the more she could feel a cold crawling shiver through her spine, raising the hair of her neck and arms. There were no sounds around her. An abrupt silence fell, and the sudden intense taste of metal, stones and chia. The taste was so strong she could almost chew it. She thought she was about to throw up, but only a few black particles flew out of her mouth. And she heard it, a smooth, calm, stoic young man shouting:


    <blockquote>


    Why you don''t listen to me, bloody girl! I told you to come home! Why don¡¯t you do as told! Why are you trying to get me upset? Why Nona? Why!


    </blockquote>


    Nona could breathe again, and her heart was calmer. She didn''t want to make a sound. Nona didn''t want to call him. She didn''t want to be a burden, so she didn''t move.


    ''Meow.''; an orange cat walked around her, brushing its head against her. ''Meow.''; it meowed once more and sat beside her, staring into her eyes. Its fur had a metallic shine to it.


    It stared at her, then licked her cheek and disappeared into a flood of black dust right back into her mouth. And she heard him again:


    <blockquote>


    You should just get rid of it! We both know you are not fit to be a mother! What a joke, Nona, what a joke!


    </blockquote>


    Nona fell to the ground, almost unconscious. She couldn''t move, paralysed by an electric flow flashing through her shoulder until her fingers. She could feel her back arching and her head bashing to the floor. ''I''m dying, this is it.''; this was her last thought while strong long hands held her wrists: ''I''m dying.''; the thought screamed inside her head.


    ''Shhh, shhh, you''re alright. I''m here, baby. I''m here,''; the voice whispered in her ear: ''I''m here. It will pass. Shhh, shhh....''Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    She let her lids fall and finally exhaled the remnants of something that didn''t belong here or there. Not even when.


    Nona woke up on the couch with her head on Eske''s lap. He was holding a towel with ice over her head. She moved slightly around as if to be sure she was still in the living room.


    ''Don''t move. You hurt your head.''


    She slowly drove her hand to her neck, feeling the pain and the soreness.


    ''You okay?''; he asked, looking concerned.


    ''Yeah... yeah.''; she answered, trying not to show any signs of drawback. ''Huh, thanks.''; she replied.


    He smiled, with his eyes swollen and red: ''How was your day?''; he asked.


    ''Okay.''; she lied. ''Thanks again for the help.''; she added.


    ''No problem.''; he responded.


    They stayed there for some minutes before she tried to stand up. ''Well, good night.''


    He held her by the wrist and asked: ''Could you please stay here with me, just for a bit?''


    She looked again at his eyes, red and swollen. ''Sure.''; she answered, nodding. ''Did you cry? Did something happen besides me almost... who knows what.''


    ''No, I just was in a house with a cat. Is just allergies, don''t worry.''; he said.


    ''Oh, okay.''; she shrugged. ''I guess even if you were crying, you wouldn''t tell me the truth.''


    His face got serious, and he nodded. ''I failed my assignment, and I don''t know how to face the people who are counting on me. That''s pretty much the reason for my allergies.''; he explained.


    ''Can you try again tomorrow?''


    ''Probably.''; he agreed. ''But tonight, can we watch a movie together?''


    ''Sure.''; she said. ''Vodka?''


    ''Vodka?''


    ''Yes, vodka.''; she repeated. ''We need to relax, get drunk! Forget all this fucking day.''; she said, smiling.


    He laughed. ''That''s what I call relaxing, too.''; he said.


    They barely watched the movies and drank the bottle off by shots. They talked, they laughed, and then there was this moment where Eske was too close.


    She could almost taste him, and it wasn''t the strong flavour of the liquor. A lightweight taste of something new, something that wouldn''t exist in no other place or time. It was almost intoxicated. He stopped laughing and looked at her straight.


    ''What are you doing?''; she asked.


    He didn''t answer. Instead, he kissed Nona softly and tenderly. His lips caressed hers gently. He took her hands and placed them on his chest. She could feel his heart beating fast. He pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes.


    ''Not like this, baby. You would call it cheating.''; he said.


    Nona''s eyes opened wide as if she suddenly sobered up: ''You''re right, this is a terrible idea.''; she stood up from the couch when Eske grabbed her hand.


    ''Wait, are you mad?''


    ''No, you''re right. We are roommates. This would get messy.''; she said, shaking her head.


    Eske sighed. ''Let me explain, I...''


    ''It''s fine, dude. Is clear. Now let me go. I have work tomorrow.''; she said, pulling her arm free.


    ''Please wait.''; he pleaded.


    ''Goodnight!''


    Eske heard her slamming her bedroom door. ''Yup, wifey is pissed.''; he mumbled, standing up and walking towards the bathroom.


    ''Fuck!''; he cursed under his breath. ''Why did I stop?''


    Nona faced inside her bedroom, completely frozen, the orange cat was back, but it was not one nor two. There were hundreds of ginger cats meowing and looking at her. Each one of them tasted the same.

 03:06 - The Ava Incident

    Nona was petrified inside her bedroom, completely frozen, the orange cat was back, but it was not one nor two. There were hundreds of ginger cats meowing and looking at her. Each one of them tasted the same.


    Behind her, a bang on the door could be heard with him asking: ''Nona, are you mad?''


    ''Go away!''; her vision burned blurry turning the cats into orange patches around her room. Shit! Shit! Shit! He is going to freak out. Her brain flipped a coin as she suddenly landed on her feet.


    ''Can I come in? Please?''


    ''Baby, please stay where you are.'' Why do you need to be so stubborn? Please, not now.


    ''Nona, I''m coming in!''


    ''No!''; she yelled, leaning against the door, throwing her weight against it: ''I''m fine. Everything is fine, love.'' Please, baby, don''t play the hero. Not now.


    ''Let me in, baby. Is not fun!''; he tried the door handle, but realised she was blocking it. He didn''t insist, worried it could hurt her: ''Baby, come on, let me in. You are really freaking me out.''


    ''All is okay! Really, go to your room. I''ll join you in a bit. You don''t want to see this.'' Fuck! They are hundreds, and they do look freakishly cute. I wish I had more visions like this. Look at that one rolling his belly up. So cute!


    ''What could possibly be there that I can''t see? Nona, please open the door before you get hurt. Come on, love of my life, please!''


    ''Can you hear them?''; she asked with a hand ready on the handle.


    ''Hear what?'' He put his ear near the door as if trying to listen through. Then said: ''I can''t hear anything.''


    ''I open, but please close your eyes!''; she pushed down the handle and looked at him. It was easy to understand that even though he couldn''t hear the hundreds of kitties in her room, he could definitely see them. ''Baby, close your eyes.''; she said, placing her hand in front of his gaze.


    He closed them tight and didn''t protest, neither tried to play the hero. Nona closed the door behind her, so he wouldn''t notice how the hoard of cats tried to run away from the room. ''Is okay. They are not real.'' I got you, baby. You are safe with me. No adorable kittie will get close to you, but dammit, how can he be so scared of so much fluff?


    ''You woke up?''; he asked, trying to distract himself. ''You know who I am?''


    ''Yes, I do.''


    ''How?''


    ''I don''t know. I think... maybe because... I realised you would need me. I don''t know.''; Nona said, holding his cold fingers. She never saw him shaking like this and repeated: ''They are not real, baby. Nobody can hurt you here.'' I would never let anything happen to you. Those are just adorable fluff monsters. I wish I could close the door and pet them before they disappear. Just 5 minutes¡­


    ''I can''t help it.'' His voice trembled. The sight of the ginger-coloured animals made him feel sick to his stomach and stiff his lower back like stone. ''I really wish I could..., you know..., not be a..., pussy.'' Eske dropped a chuckle: ''The pun was not intended.''


    ''I know.''; she kissed his lips and placed his arm around her waist. ''Keep your eyes closed. They are coming back to me, okay? Don''t play the hero.''


    Eske nodded, held Nona firmly on her waist, and placed the other hand behind her head: ''You''re good, I gotch you.''


    Nona looked above Eske''s shoulder, and the cats darted at her as if expecting the right moment to jump. She breathed deeply, and as she inhaled, an intense metallic flavour scratched her throat until the point when she only could lose consciousness.


    <hr>


    Nona woke up with her nose sinking in his smell. She was surrounded by pillows and his fingers brushing her head. ''Hello, love of my life.''


    He gave her a short smile, with his eyes on the screen: ''It''s still night, baby. Sleep.''


    ''What are you doing?''


    ''Scrolling through social media and emails. Can''t sleep.''; he turned back to look at her as she sat up. ''Today was really a bad day. Shit, the whole week was¡­ shitty. I think I failed at all levels.''


    ''Do you want to talk about it?'' Nona asked, rubbing her face into his shoulder.


    ''The candidate''s name is Ava.''


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.''That is a really pretty name.''


    ''Yeah, it is, and she is..., she seems like a really nice and good person. I can''t explain, is one of those people you meet and trust.''; he said with a mixture of sadness and disappointment: ''She actually reminds me of Marie Sue.''


    ''Marie Sue is awesome! Not even a grain of evil.''


    ''Nona, I think she is going to refuse.''; he sighed. ''I know this sounds irrational. She said she had to think about it. And I don''t see anything that could stop her. But she needed to think about it. Thinking about what?''


    ''Did we miss something?'' Nona asked, pulling herself away from him to sit facing Eske.


    ''No,'' he answered. ''No, everything was exactly as Vihann''s report, and he has been obsessed with her.''


    ''Oh.''


    ''Yeah, if she says no, it''s gonna break him. And not only that, you had to see for yourself. In a question of seconds, she outlined my whole profile. Like... I didn''t like everything I heard, but it was true. As if she knew me. I never saw such a talented profiler. She even understood I could hear numbers.''; Eske looked at his wife with a defeated gaze: ''I lost her. I failed in giving her a home.''


    ''You''ll try again tomorrow, and if it fails. You''ll try again.'' Nona said, hugging her husband tight around the neck. ''You are the most stubborn person I know. You will reason with her, and she''ll be among us.''


    ''What if I really fail? She will disappear. I explained that to her.''; Eske said, looking down. ''She''ll be gone.''


    ''I know.''


    ''And then I failed you.''; he placed a hand over her cheek, kissing her forehead. ''I''m so sorry.''


    ''Nothing happened. It was just... hum..., what I mean is I wasn''t in danger.''


    ''How do you feel? Any pain?''


    ''None. I am fine.''


    ''Good.''; Eske kissed her lips, moving to her neck: ''Are you sleepy?''


    ''Not at all.''; Nona said, pulling him closer. ''Why? Any ideas?''


    Eske gave her a long kiss before answering: ''Might have one or two...''


    ''Show me.''; she whispered close to his ear.


    Eske lifted one of the corners of his lips, placing a finger under her chin: ''I''d like that.''; he said, lifting it. He kissed her, savouring her lips. His mouth closed upon hers again, feeling how soft and warm her flesh felt, tasting the saltiness of her tongue. He ran his fingers through her hair, caressing its silken He pulled her body against his own, pressing their bodies together tightly.


    His hands went beneath the hem of her shirt, touching bare skin as they moved upward until he reached her breasts. There was a faint quiver in his fingers when they touched them, and he murmured: ''I love you.'' Each time he kissed the line of her neck, he would whisper it.


    His lips parted over hers with an eagerness that startled her, an ardent hunger which seemed to have been up too long against all common sense or decency. His kiss grew more eager by breadths, its intensity increasing till it became almost savagely carnal. He drew back from it at last and then seized her wrists with a mischievous grin. He let something hard press into her abdomen through the thin cotton of her panties. His eyes glinted fiercely upon her skin as he leaned forward again towards Nona''s soft lips. Again there came a brief pause, but this time it lasted no longer than two seconds before the Eske''s mouth descended on hers once more like some hungry beast devouring flesh. Her arms dropped helplessly about his neck, feeling his muscle strength and the full weight of his body pressed itself heavily onto her own. For one wild instant, Eske thought he was going mad with passion because he had crushed her breasts between his palms while still holding himself tightly against her with his knees wedged firmly against each side of hers. But sanity returned quickly enough: ''Am I hurting you?''


    ''No! Don''t stop.''


    They clung together, laughing, pressing themselves closer and tighter against one another. Nona''s leg enclosed his waist, and he found himself bending down further over her without being conscious of having done anything except respond to stimuli coming directly out of his subconscious mind. Their mouths opened wider, kissing passionately until the last gasp. ''Again?''


    ''Again.''


    There was something about Nona that night that Eske would never be able to explain. Something that left him famished that made him want more. Something that didn''t satiate him, and again he wanted more. Way more.


    That night they didn''t make love once or twice. It was until the first rays of sunlight touched their faces that they stopped, and the bed broke.


    When she finally woke up, she found herself lying in her bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to understand what had happened. Nona remembered nothing of the previous night except the taste of peppermint on her lips.


    ''Good morning, love of my life!''; Eske came into the room with a huge breakfast on a tray and a bigger smile on his face.


    ''Morning... huh...Eske.''; Nona replied, sitting up in the bed, confused.


    His smile faded away: ''Hungry?'' He set out plates filled with fried eggs and bacon, toast, orange juice and coffee.


    ''Yes, please.''; Nona answered, taking the plate he offered her. ''This looks wonderful. So did we...''


    ''Have sex? Made love? Yeah!''


    ''I''m so sorry. I was probably too drunk.''


    ''You don''t remember?''; Eske tried to hold his grin with a bite of the bread. ''We were fucking like ...''; he paused and looked at her: ''It was undoubtedly one of the best nights of my life. So don''t feel bad.''


    ''I''m feeling so ashamed right now...''; she tried to hide behind the coffee mug the huge embarrassment she was feeling. ''I don''t know what to say, and I should get ready to work.''


    ''Hey, don''t worry about it.''; he took the cup from her hand, setting it aside: ''I called them and said you were sick.''; he leaned forward and whispered: ''I can''t leave you like that without¡­, remembering.''; he smiled mischievously.


    ''What does that mean?''; Nona felt her cheeks turning red. ''Was I that good?''


    ''You have no idea. So, let me see if I can show you all the little things of last night.''; he grinned wickedly. ''Do you mind?''


    ''Not at all.''; she whispered back.


    ''Good.''; Eske stood beside the bed, sliding an arm around her waist as he kissed her gently on the lips. ¡®But, let¡¯s try not to break your bed too. Otherwise, we will need to move to the couch.¡¯


    Again, Eske would never be able to explain in words what happened in that timeline or how he felt that would explain why he never had enough.


    But that is how and when the first Ava Incident started.

 03:07 - The Ava Incident

    Eske was still sleeping when Nona awakened. She left the bed, careful not to wake him up. The morning light came through the window and fell across Eske''s face as he lay on one side with an arm thrown over his eyes. He looked so peaceful that Nona could only stare at him in amazement for a moment. She realised how foolish it must seem if someone saw her staring like this. So, she quickly moved away from the bed and went into the kitchen. She made herself some coffee and sat down at the table, drinking it slowly. But only for a short time. Something was off. Something was wrong.


    Her skin felt cold, and the hair on her arms stood erect. She felt her neck getting tense, and her breathing became heavier and slower. She could hear the wheezing sound inside her chest growing louder. A sense of panic began rising within her while she could taste the rusty burning metal on her tongue. Her eyes wandered around each corner. She was waiting for it to happen.


    She had this burning hitch on her forearm. The same arm with her tattoos. Nona couldn''t resist the need to scratch it until the point where her skin was covered in blisters and the flesh burnt until it melted. She could see her skin ripping and curling around the burn, drawing a pattern of death tissue where it was supposed to have numbers.


    Nona couldn''t touch it anymore as the pain completely paralysed her. She didn''t know what to do but didn''t want to scream. He couldn''t see this. It would hurt him more than her. But the pain was excruciating, to the point she fell on the floor holding her arm and let the agony translate into a resounding scream.


    She didn''t hear his step running to the kitchen. He kneeled beside her, holding her by the shoulders: ''Baby, what''s wrong?''; his voice sounded alarming.


    She was crying, moaning with pain, but she didn''t fight it and ended up showing him her arm.


    ''Baby, what''s wrong? Is your arm? Did you hurt yourself?''


    ''It''s burning!''; she was able to grunt. ''It hurts so bad!''


    ''How bad? You want some ice?''; he looked at her arm, and there was nothing wrong besides some redness caused by scratching. He held her wrist firmly: ''Does it hurt when I touch?''


    ''No.''; she replied calmer: ''What did you do?''


    Eske brushed the skin of her arm and asked, concerned: ''And now? Better?''


    ''It is gone...''; she mumbled, feeling foolish: ''It was melting. It was...''


    ''Does it still hurts?''; Eske asked again, still keeping his hand stroking her arm: ''Do you want to go to a hospital? Have it checked?''


    ''No, I''m fine. It was just...''; Nona paused her words. She couldn''t tell him it was a time event. He couldn''t know: ''I think I was still sleeping.''


    ''You sure? Nona, I never saw you like that.''


    Nona tried to smile. This was better. Better if he didn''t know.


    He smiled and put his hands on hers: ''But you are okay, right?


    ''Yeah, I''m okay.''; she stood up off the floor: ''I need to take a shower.''


    ''You want me to prepare breakfast?''; he shouted while she closed the bathroom door. Nona was still holding her arm. It didn''t hurt, but she felt as if she had lost something.


    She turned the shower on, and she saw her reflection in the mirror while the room filled with steam. Her face was bruised. She had a deep black eye and a fresh lip cut, and she was crying, holding her round belly. Her arm was burned in such a way she couldn''t see anymore Eske''s and her''s initials, nor the numbers that would lead her to Pi. ''What the fuck is going to happen to me?''; she mumbled, scared to herself.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.Her reflection slammed the mirror with the palm of her hand, and she could hear herself begging: ''Help.''


    She undressed her t-shirt and panties and got under the warm water. While washing herself, the hot water poured down on her back, slipping around her waist and circling her left scar. But all the water couldn''t clean the palate of her tongue, the burning rust. She coughed violently, the black particles insisting on burning her throat. There was no doubt about it. The time event was not yet over.


    She heard someone breathing against her neck, a voice she hadn''t heard for a long time. ''I told you, you would be better with me. I know how to take care of you when you are a good, good girl...''; the smooth daunting voice felt like needles piercing the back of her mouth.


    Nona felt pure terror and unadulterated disgust. She turned the shower off and ran to the toilet, retching whatever was inside of her.


    ''Nona, what''s wrong?''; Eske''s voice was as cleansing her every pore. He brushed her hair away: ''Okay, baby, this is not normal. We are going to the hospital. You might have food poisoning or something.'' Nona coughed one last time and cleaned her lips with toilet paper: ''I''m fine. Is nothing.''; she looked at him with tears in her eyes: ''Can you hold me?'' He didn''t even question her as he saw the swarm of black particles returning to her lips. Nona was panting, and Eske had that disappointed gaze she hated: ''Why you didn''t tell me, I''m here to help you. You need to call me so you don''t get hurt. That''s the deal, baby. Please, don''t do this alone.''; he said with tremendous sadness. ''Don''t keep me in the dark.'' ''Cats.''; she whispered the lie. ''I really need to work on that.''; he held her tighter and clicked his tongue: ''Do you want help with the shower?'' Nona smiled: ''Yeah, I can''t feel my legs yet.'' ''A cat does all this? Retching creatures!''; he tried to joke. ''Yes, cats.''; she nodded, tired


    Now talking in #TGTCTT


    Evil_Kitty ([email protected]</a>@rth) has joined #TGTCTT <Evil_Kitty> Any update? Did you win the bet?


    <@Iknowaguy> And it was a tie. Sorry to disappoint.


    <Evil_Kitty> why?


    <@Iknowaguy> Why was it a tie? I can¡¯t force her


    <Evil_Kitty> why is there no update


    <@Iknowaguy> Still waiting for her to call.


    <Evil_Kitty> Did you told about me?


    <@Iknowaguy> I mentioned it yes


    <Evil_Kitty> She didn¡¯t ask more?


    <@Iknowaguy> I am unsure what you want me to tell you


    <Evil_Kitty> She can¡¯t disappear! She is one of us!


    <@Iknowaguy> I know. We will convince¡­ somehow. I¡¯m open to ideas


    <@Iknowaguy> Do you have any suggestions? ideas?


    Evil_Kitty ([email protected]</a>@rth) Quit ("")


    <@Iknowaguy> That is really not cool Vihann!!!

 03:08 - The Ava Incident

    ''You again?''; Ava said. ''I thought you''d be gone by now.'' She was a tall, wiry woman of forty with hard brown eyes and thinning dark hair that she wore in a severe bun behind her head.


    ''To be fair, you never called.''; said Eske while he came into the house.


    ''You know silence is also an answer.''; Ava walked him through to the kitchen: ''Tea?''


    ''Do I have a choice?''; asked Eske as they sat down at one end of the table. He looked around for her cat: ''Where is the little...''


    ''Tyche. Tyche, that''s her name.''; said Ava absently from where she stood over the stove stirring something. As soon as it started boiling, she poured out two full cups and brought them both across the room.


    ''The goddess of fortune and chance.''; he replied after sipping his tea. His gaze had been wandering about, still looking for the small beast.


    ''I see you know your mythology.''; said Ava.


    Eske took up his cup again but didn''t drink: ¡®When you are married to someone called Nona Anna Perenna, you better learn.''


    ''Oh my, that is a very specific name.''; observed Ava. ''Very unique.''; Ava gave him a look that made him wonder if perhaps this wasn''t just another way to keep score in some game only she knew how to play. Her expression was so enigmatic that he decided not even to try guessing what she might mean.


    ''Ava, I came here to...''; he stopped himself before finishing because he realised he would say too much or not enough.


    They were silent until Ava spoke up again: ''You came here to convince me to join your made-up paradise. To be my salvation at the near future of the end of the world.''; she smiled then added: ''And there are two reasons why you don''t accept my answer. First, you don''t understand how someone can refuse the hospitality of paradise, and second, you don''t like to lose. You hate it. You can''t bare the idea of losing control.


    He nodded without speaking: It was all true, but he couldn''t tell her everything, not yet anyway. ''Help me, Ava, to understand.''


    ''Tyche.''


    ''Beg your pardon? I don''t understand.''


    ''The first time you came, you invited me. You spoke about me. But I''m not just me. It''s Ava and Tyche. You had my whole data-whatever. But nothing about her. So, I guess, two things happened here, you didn''t consider that my cat is part of me. She is my partner. My only family. And second, to have committed such a huge faux pas with me, I guess wherever big shots are behind your organisation, don''t consider animals as part of the chosen ones.''; she paused then added: ''So, please help me understand why you want to save me when you don''t know who you are saving? What do you get out of this besides losing?''


    ''It''s not a matter of winning or losing.''; Eske put his elbow on the table and held his head down:''Fuck!''


    ''You really didn''t think about it?''; Ava was surprised. ''You didn''t know I had Tyche?''


    ''It wasn''t on the report. The person who did is so fucking infatuated with you that he didn''t see the obvious. And it is too late to check your cat''s T-DNA. Even if I send a sample today, it won''t arrive in time. I could have arranged things if you had told me the first time I came. Oh, what the fuck!''


    Ava''s face was calm as always, but her eyes betrayed her emotions: surprise and hope. ''You would arrange it?''


    ''Yes! Ava, it wouldn''t mean we could accept her even with a T-DNA result. And animals and plants rarely have a T-DNA lower than 3%. We only allow passage to everything below 0.9%. But yes, if you had told me, I wouldn''t have let that too chance. Because with her result, I could tell you exactly the probability for her to be in another timeline.''


    She stared at him for long moments: ''Then you know my decision. It is final. I won''t abandon her.''


    ''No,'' Eske agreed reluctantly: ''But I am sure you will reconsider.''


    Her smile was sad: ''If you think so, go ahead. But I won''t.''


    ''He is a really nice guy, Vihann. He sacrifices everything, his sleep, time, and nonexistent social life so that everything works. I''m honestly not even mad that he failed such detail, but it reminds me to give that guy some serious time off.''; after a moment, Eske tried to find words. ''Ava, listen...''


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.''Don''t..., is not his fault, mine, nor yours. It is what it is.''


    ''You both would have been...''


    ''Maybe, who knows? Next time...''


    Eske was defeated. He arrived home, took his shoes off in the hall and entered the apartment: ''Baby, I''m home.'' But he did not hear a sound of a greeting. No voice came in return: ''Nona?'' Instead, an unnatural silence lay over the house. A sort of unearthly stillness hung about it all. Eske sensed something wrong and started to look around for some explanation until he arrived in the kitchen and found his wife sitting on the floor next to the fridge.


    ''Did you hear me?'' said Eske, startled. Nona looked up, and she nodded slowly as if in response. She had been crying while her husband stood beside the doorway, dumbfounded by what he saw before him. ''Why are you crying?''


    She didn''t reply and dug a pickle into what looked like whipped cream and shoved it right into her mouth: ''Mouth full.''; she tried to say.


    ''What are you eating?'' asked Eske incredulously. His eyes were wide with amazement at this sight which could scarcely be possible or even conceivable.


    Nona swallowed and answered: ''Pickles and whipped cream. You want some?''; she grimaced, her face almost ready to cry.


    ''No, baby, I don''t. Why are you crying?'' Eske''s tone indicated that he couldn''t believe what he had heard, mixed with genuine concern.


    ''I don''t..,'' replied Nona sadly, swallowing down another pickle and trying to smile through the tears. ''I don''t want to share.''


    ''It''s okay...''; said Eske, uncertain. He kneeled next to Nona, who seemed so sad and miserable and put his arms around her shoulders. ''Why are you sad? Did something happen? Did you have another time event?'' He thought he knew why she would be upset since she always got depressed after these strange occurrences when they happened.


    She shook her head: ''We don''t have strawberries. So I tried with pickles, and it is really good.''


    Her words made Eske laugh nervously: ''Okay...'' And he hugged her close against himself: ''Baby, please don''t be mad if I ask you this, but..., do you..., you are taking your meds, right?''


    ''Why? I''m just eating pickles.''; Nona smiled, but tears were falling from her cheeks.


    ''Baby, you are eating pickles with whipped cream, on the floor and crying. It is okay if you forgot or didn''t want to take them. Just tell me. I promise I won''t be mad.''


    But Nona only sobbed louder: ''That is so unfair!'' Her face contorted strangely as she cried out: ''You are the one who gives them to me every morning! What do you think I do? Spit them?''


    ''Okay, okay, I''m sorry, I just had to ask...''; Eske stroked her hair. ''Don''t be mad at me.''


    ''I''m not mad, and I''m not sad. I can''t stop crying!''; Nona wiped away her tears and sniffled.


    ''What about we take a shower, dress in something cosy and watch a movie?''; suggested Eske anxiously.


    ''Can we eat chips and tiramisu?''; she asked.


    Eske laughed again: ''Of course, anything you like. Hum, I''m missing an ingredient. Do you mind taking a shower while I pick it up really fast? Then maybe we''ll get everything ready.''


    ''Sure thing.''; she agreed.


    Eske stood up from the floor, wore his shoes back on and walked quickly toward the front door. He hurried past the street with a hasty pace until he arrived at a pharmacy.


    ''Good evening, how may I help you?'' greeted the pharmacist cheerfully.


    ''Yes, hi. Do you sell pregnancy tests?'' Eske blurted out without realising he heard a new number coming out of Nona. They were not number nine.

 03:09 - The Ava Incident

    A positive pregnancy test was on the centre of the kitchen table. Eske and Nona sat across from each other, staring a the little pee stick displaying two blue lines. Nona looked nervous, fidgeting with her hands. ''So, I am¡­''; Nona said, her voice shaking.


    Eske raised an eyebrow. ''Yeah, it looks like you are¡­.''


    Nona smiled weakly and took Eske''s hand to calm herself down. Her mind was racing ahead as she tried not to get too excited.


    ''Yeah, it looks like you are¡­.''; Eske repeated.


    ''I''m pregnant.''; Nona blurted out, tears streaming down her face. She felt light-headed and dizzy. The world seemed to be tilting around her.


    Eske got up from his chair and walked over to Nona. He pulled his wife into a hug that lasted for some time before he finally let go. He wiped away her tears and kissed them off her cheeks. Eske''s eyes didn''t hide his smile growing. ''You are pregnant!''; he chuckled, happy.


    Nona nodded, wiping away her tears. ''So, I was acting weird because I''m¡­ I have bun in the oven? I''m scared.''; Nona whispered. ''I''m really scared. I''m terrified. I don''t want to have the baby in this timeline.''


    ''I know, but we''ll get through this together,'' Eske replied, rubbing her back.


    Nona pulled away from Eske and looked up at him. ''What are we going to do? How am I going to¡­''; she stuttered, trying not to cry again.


    ''We''re just going to take things one step at a time.''; Eske assured her. ''First thing is, we need to call Robert. Make a plan that keeps you safe and the baby.''; he paused and held her chin up: ''Nona. You created a whole new timeline. You can do this too.''


    Nona smiled weakly, feeling a bit better with Eske by her side. ''Thank you, baby.''; she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.


    Eske kissed the top of her head. ''Anything you need, anything you want, love of my life.''


    ''So, we are happy about it?''; Nona asked.


    ''Oh yeah,'' Eske answered, kissing her forehead. ''I''m holding the shit to not scream out the window that I''m gonna be a dad.''


    ''We are going to be parents!''; Nona exclaimed happily.


    ''Yep.''; Eske grinned. ''We gonna have a mini Nona. Fuck, she is going to be so cute.''


    ''Or a mini Eske.''


    ''No, it''s a girl.''


    ''How can you be so sure?''


    ''Because, my beautiful mummy¡­.''; Eske teased with the widest smile.


    Eske woke up early, feeling the sun''s warmth filtering through the window shades. As he stretched his arms and legs, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation building up inside him. He was going to be a dad!


    Eske tiptoed out of the bedroom, careful not to disturb Nona, who was still sleeping. He quickly changed into his running gear and laced up his shoes before heading out the door. The cool morning air was invigorating as he started his jog towards the nearby lake. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the quiet streets as he made his way through the neighbourhood.


    As he approached the lake, he could see the ducks swimming peacefully in the calm waters. The sight filled him with a sense of peace, and he slowed down his pace to take in the beauty of his surroundings. The sun was now fully up, and its rays danced across the water, creating a shimmering effect.


    Eske continued his run, falling into deep introspection with every step. Part of him couldn''t wait to share a family, a big family, with Nona.


    But he couldn''t stop thinking about all the possibilities of how this could go so wrong. There was a reason why Earth Pi had strict regulations concerning kids travelling. And the answer is they don''t. Eske is living proof that no matter the body''s development, the ageing process stops as soon as someone performs their first jump. Eske, to this day, cannot grow a beard. Only a couple of pubes would show up on his chin. He had to work out to gain muscle mass, and the choice of wearing suits was not just aesthetic. It also made him look older. He could nowadays trick people into thinking he was in his late 20s. When in reality, his first jump happened when he was 18. Not bad for a... how old is he now? 90? 110? He forgot.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The other concern was Nona''s belly didn''t grow. It was still flat. And he was also expecting that her breasts would..., you know. Eske thought that maybe because their timeline was based on Earth Pi, only one day would have passed since the pregnancy test came out positive. But if it was not?


    What if the baby was feeding on Nona? The idea was so uncomfortable for Eske. But truth to be told, it would be the daughter of a Vortex, whatever that could mean.


    His head started spinning in such a way that he took his phone, called the only person who could call him out, and set his feet back on the ground.


    ''Allo, Penny speaking.''


    ''Hey, Penny, How are you?''


    ''I''m fine. We spoke five minutes ago, remember? You forgot about the time conversion, didn¡¯t you?''; Penny chuckled: ''Anyway, missing me already, Schrodinger? Yes? A tiny bit? No? What''s on your mind, Eske?''


    Eske sighed and said, ''I don''t know, Penny. Nona''s not growing a belly like she''s supposed to. It''s been a few months now, and I can''t help but worry that something might be wrong.''


    Penny put a reassuring tone and said, ''Eske, every woman''s pregnancy is different. Some women show up early, and some don''t show up until later on. It''s all normal.''


    ''We are talking about Nona.''


    ''She is still a woman. Is going to be fine.''


    Eske nodded but still seemed apprehensive. ''But what if there''s something wrong with the baby? What if I''m not doing everything I''m supposed to? What if she...''


    Penny interrupted him: ''Eske, you and Nona are doing everything right. You''re caring for yourselves and the baby, and that''s all that matters. And besides, you have regular check-ups with your favourite doctor, right? Bobby told me it was going smoothly. There is nothing to worry about. You''re just a drama queen.''


    Eske chuckled, but he still sounded worried.


    Penny continued: ''Eske, I know this is all new to you, but you have to trust that everything will be okay. You and Nona are going to be great parents, and you''ll figure everything out together. And if you ever need any help or support, I''m always here for you.''


    Eske smiled and took a deep breath. ''Thanks, Penny. You''re right. I just need to trust the process and enjoy these exciting uncertainties of the universe and beyond. And I fucking hate it.''


    Penny grinned and replied, ''That''s the spirit, Mr drama queen! Let go of control, you freak. You and Nona will be amazing parents, and I can''t wait to see the little one when he or she arrives!''


    ''It''s a girl.''


    ''Oh, you sure? Men are usually wrong about these things.''


    Eske smiled, feeling a sense of relief: Yeah, I''m mathematically sure, it''s a beautiful girl.''


    ''Do you have news?''


    ''About?


    ''Ava.''


    Eske swallowed dry: ''Nothing changed. She said no, she is keeping her answer. I...''


    ''I know, I know.''; Penny lowered her tone: ''Come on, Schrodinger, you must have a plan. Vihann is completely devasted. He is putting on a superhero front, but... gosh, that guy deserved a break.''


    ''If you have an idea, I''m all ears because I''m feeling like the hugest loser in this fucking timeline.''


    Eske could hear Penny inhaling: ''I don''t. Only a fucking miracle. I wish the fucking cat died.''


    ''No.''


    ''You killed before!''


    ''Not a fucking cat!''


    ''No one would blame you. It switches timelines and happy kitty in the streets. Just a twist in its neck, and we are done!''


    ''Have you met my wife?''; Eske didn''t know if he should take Penny''s suggestion as a dark humour joke or not.


    ''Fucking cat.''; cursed Penny. ''Think about it. It is just a cat.''


    The run eventually came to an end, and Eske made his way back to the apartment. Nona was still sound asleep when he quietly opened the door. He couldn''t help but smile as he watched her peaceful form. He tiptoed to the bed and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead before whispering in her ear, ''Good morning, love of my life.''


    Nona sat up, spreading a smile across her face. She hugged Eske tightly: ''Where is my coffee?''


    ''We spoke about that.''


    Nona''s face grimaced into a cry: ''Why you don''t love me anymore?''

 03:10 - The Ava Incident

    An old woman stood in her tiny kitchen, peeling and dicing potatoes with a practised hand. Her weathered face showed lines etched with age and life, and her gnarled hands worked with slow, deliberate grace. She hummed a tune to herself, lost in the task at hand.


    As she added the diced potatoes to a pot of simmering broth, a chill ran through the room. The old woman shivered slightly and looked up, sensing a presence. There, in the corner of the kitchen, stood a young woman with flowing grey hair, watching her every move. Between her pale lips floated, black particles in slow motion around her.


    The old woman didn¡¯t seem surprised or afraid of the ghostly visitor. Instead, she simply nodded her head in acknowledgement before returning her attention to the soup. The young woman''s gaze follows her every move, her black eyes filled with curiosity and wonder as if she was herself learning each ingredient, each step and timing.


    As the soup bubbles away, the old woman added a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper, tasting it to make sure it''s just right. The young woman watched in awe, captivated by the ritual of cooking and the care and precision the old woman put into every step.


    Finally, the soup was ready, and the old woman ladled it into a bowl. She set it on the table and called a name: ''Ava, lunch is ready!''


    A young child ran into the table: ''What is it?''


    ''Grannie''s potato soup, nothing special, dear.''


    ''My favourite! Yummy!''; said the child excitedly, sitting down to eat.


    The young woman was still watching silently from the corner. The old woman savoured with her granddaughter every spoonful, enjoying the warmth and comfort of the soup.


    As she finished, she looked up at the young woman and smiled. ''Thank you for watching over her, dear. Thank you.''; she said, whispering almost as a prayer. ''I hope you enjoyed the soup as much as we did.''


    The young woman smiled back before fading away into a faint cloud of dust, leaving the old woman and the child alone once again. The old woman wiped her mouth and stood up, carrying the empty bowl back to the sink. She hummed to herself once more as she began to wash the dishes, content with the knowledge that she was never really alone in her kitchen after all.


    Nona regained conscience in her cosy kitchen with warm, yellow lighting. She stood at the stove, stirring a pot of simmering broth. Her focus is intense as she follows the recipe for a traditional potato soup with precision.


    Every step is carefully measured and timed as if she were performing a scientific experiment or a complex calculus that only Eske would understand. She checks and rechecks the recipe, making sure to add each ingredient in precisely the right amount and at exactly the right time.


    The potatoes are peeled and diced with a sharp knife, and the onions are chopped into small pieces. Nona adds them to the pot with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a pinch of dried herbs.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.As the soup simmers, Nona tastes it carefully, adjusting the seasoning and adding a splash of cream for richness. She stirs the pot with a wooden spoon, her eyes scanning the surface for any signs of imperfection.


    Nona prepared the cupboard next to the sink and placed her hand wide open, and with a fast slam of the kitchen knife, she cut two of her fingers. She washed them carefully in water from the tap, then, using the same blade, again made small incisions on each fingertip as far down toward the base joint as possible without cutting through it. The blood was still warm when Nona put one finger into the soup. It had a distinctive taste but not so much that she could detect anything unusual about its colour or odour.


    Then, after taking another sip herself, she found this more palatable than the first and tasted it again before adding the second digit to complete the recipe.


    She involved her hand in a towel which kept out any dripping drops while allowing enough circulation for normal operation by means of gentle, very gentle pressure upon the opened sliced wounds. She prepared the immersion blenders and began mixing the broth and her own flesh until it disappeared and turned into a thick delicious creme. When at last there remained only a few thin strands of white bone showing here and there among the clear liquid, Nona took up a spoon removing them one by one with no rush.


    The kitchen was quiet now except for the occasional sound of bubbling soup and the soft clink of utensils against the counter. Nona''s movements were slow and deliberate, almost like a dance, as she tended to the soup with care.


    When finally, the soup was ready. Nona ladles it into a Tupperware with a steady hand, the creamy broth and tender chunks of potato filling the air with a rich, comforting aroma.


    ''Baby, I''m home.''; Eske''s voice startled Nona, who tried to swipe all the blood on the counter. ''Hey, love, didn''t you hear me?''; he asked, coming inside the kitchen and hugging Nona from behind.


    ''Sorry, I was distracted cooking.''


    Eske noticed her hand wrapped in a bloody towel: ''Nona, what the fuck happened?''


    ''Nothing, I just cut myself. I was clumsy.''


    ''Clumpsy! The towel is fucking drenched in blood.''; Eske removed the towel to observe her hand, but not even a cut. ''What...''


    ''It was a small cut, baby, but have already healed.''; she said while leaning on his lips. ''How did it go with Ava?''


    ''Same thing, still a big no, and we are at six days before the download is complete. How are you feeling?''


    ''I''m great. I''m going for a walk.''


    ''You cooked? Smells really good.''; he looked at the empty pan: ''Nothing left? Not even a tiny spoon for your husband.''


    ''Do you have coffee for me?''


    ''Oh, baby, you can''t be mad because of that, is for the baby!''


    ''Well, the soup is for someone else. I''ll see you later.''; she placed the Tupperware into a bag and left the apartment with Eske wondering what his wife was planning and mumbling to himself: ¡®I can¡¯t give her coffee. She is pregnant¡­. Wouldn¡¯t she be that petty¡­? Would she? Nah¡­.Shit.¡¯

 03:11 - The Ava Incident

    Ava curled up on her couch, her orange cat nestled on her lap as they watched a movie. Her hand moved slowly through the soft Tyche''s fur, her fingers finding their way to scratch behind the cat''s ears.


    Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell interrupted their peaceful evening. Ava let out an exasperated sigh, annoyed at the interruption. She carefully set the cat aside and got up from the couch, making her way to the front door.


    As she opened the door, she saw a woman standing on her doorstep, holding a large bag. The woman with grey hair and dark circles wore a stoic expression she couldn''t read. The young woman greeted her with a big smile, it seemed a bit too forced, and Ava''s annoyance was already palpable.


    ¡¯I''m sorry, I''m not interested.¡¯; she said curtly, trying to close the door.


    But the woman persisted with a simple sentence: ''I''m Eske''s wife, Nona.''


    Ava''s patience wore thin: ''I already told him countless times I''m not interested. And if you came to check if we have an affair, I would stop you right there that I''m not someone that messes with others'' marriage!''


    She tried to shut the door again, but Nona stuck her foot in the way, refusing to leave. Ava feels a surge of anger and frustration, her peaceful evening ruined by this unwanted intrusion.


    Finally, she loses her temper and yells at Nona, demanding that she leave her alone. Nona didn''t back away, her smile replaced by a daunting stoic face: ''I made soup.''


    ''What?''


    ''I made you soup. It is still warm.''


    Ava reluctantly opened the door to Nona. As she stepped inside, she handed Ava the Tupperware with homemade soup.


    ''I made this for you.''; she said with a smile: ¡®I thought you might enjoy it.''


    Ava thanked her but couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. Nona seemed a bit too eager to please, and her smile didn''t quite reach her eyes.


    As Ava heated up the soup, Nona settled into a chair in the kitchen: ''I hope you don''t mind if I stay and chat for a bit.''; she said.


    Ava felt her discomfort growing: ''I''m surprised. Eske gave me the idea you would be an introvert. Not much of a chatter.''


    ''I like to chat. Most of the time, I don''t have much to say.''


    Ava placed a plate for each of them, and Nona interrupted, saying she was not hungry.


    ''It is rude not to keep your host company at the table.'' Ava looked suspiciously at Nona.


    ''Very well.''


    Ava felt like Nona was watching her every move as she ate the soup. It was as if she was trying to gauge her reaction to the food. The truth is the soup was delicious. It was warm and cosy as her grandmother. She recalled the stories with hot cocoa and bedtime stories her grannie would teach her. And suddenly, there was a tear caressing her cheek. She finally said: ''Eske did tell me you were quite unique. What am I eating, Nona?''


    ''A second chance.''; Nona drew a short smile.


    ''I don''t understand.''


    ''We invited you to find a forever home, where you would be safe, to be you, to do whatever makes you¡­you, but you refused. And it is not like we want to force you on anything. People are responsible for their choices. However, here you had no real choice. Not accepting wouldn''t save Tyche, wouldn''t save you. And the same results if you did. So, I gave you the answer to the choice you think you made.''; Nona explained.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.''You unsettle me. I can''t read you. Since I have been a child, I have known people just by looking at them, and with you, nothing. Is like I''m looking at the void itself.''


    ''I heard that before.''; said Nona playing with her spoon: ''You are the first person I served my soup who actually talks to me.''


    ''Eske?''


    ''I can''t say he ate soup... part of it. He did know¡­, so it doesn¡¯t count.''; Nona shove slowly one full spoon into her mouth.


    ''I feel as if I''m eating the forbidden fruit.''


    ''Well, it is a soup, not a fruit.''


    ''Do you know the symbolism of the knowledge fruit?''; asked Ava intrigued.


    ''Adam and Eve are forbidden to eat the fruit of the knowledge tree, which some people think is just a fancy wording for sex. Eve bites first and offers to Adam next. God finds out and expulses them from Eden. I have a small idea of the story. I still think it is about two teenagers who fucked and got caught.''


    Ava was slowly eating, savouring the dish: ''I really like it. It tastes exactly like the one my grannie used to do.''; she sipped on another spoon and asked: ''Are you banning me from Eden?''


    Nona put her elbows over the table, holding both of her hands: ''At least you won''t disappear.''


    ''So, my afternoon teas with your husband are over?''; she asked, emptying her plate.


    ''We still have a few days, and I know he loves talking with you. I will tell him to stop by, at least to say goodbye.''


    ''Not the jealous type?''


    ''I have known Eske for a very long time, and it wouldn''t make sense to keep a cat on a leash. He likes to make new friends, and I, too, bring new stories to the table to tell each other.''


    ''I feel like I pulled out the shortest straw,''; she said, tapping her finger on the table.


    ''The other solution that was proposed was to kill Tyche. I have seriously considered it. Funny thing, Eske immediately said no. But then, if we had done it, you wouldn''t have ever joined us. She would live. In another timeline, maybe happy with another family, maybe not. I saw her many, many, many times, and she is well spread throughout time. But this timeline will end, and so does her in this line. She will jump into her other version. But you. This is it.''; Nona leaned uncomfortably, her chin over her hands. ''So, the only thing I could do is to cook some forbidden fruit.''


    ''What is the price?''


    ''I don''t know. I am curious to know if it works. It didn''t work for Eske.''


    ''What are you exactly?''


    ''Do you want the easy, or do you want the real answer?''


    ''I''m guessing I''m about to disappear. I want the real answer.''


    ''I''m an echo, a vortex of time and space.''


    ''I feel I''m missing something. This is so annoying that I can''t read you.''; Ava clicked her tongue: ''Maybe if you had come first, I...''


    Nona shook her head: ''It wouldn''t matter. There is only one Ava in the whole cosmos, and she would never abandon Tyche for a place in a forbidden garden.''


    Nona thanked her for letting her stop by and left. Ava let out a sigh of relief as she locked the door behind her.


    Despite the delicious soup, Ava couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off about Nona, as if she had made a deal with the devil disguised as an eerie angel.

 03:12 - The Ava Incident

    Nona walked briskly down the quiet and dimly lit street, eager to return to her house where Eske was waiting for her, probably worried sick. She had stayed out longer than she intended and didn''t want to keep him waiting. Her eyes darted around nervously as she clutched her stomach. Nona had been feeling a bit off all day. But as she walked, a sudden sharp pain shot through her belly, causing her to stumble. She clutched at her stomach, trying to catch her breath. The pain was unbearable now, and Nona fell to her knees, gasping for air. She felt as if something was tearing apart inside her.


    The pain grew more intense, and Nona doubled over, feeling as if her belly was expanding by the second. She looked up and saw the images of a man hunting her flashing through her mind.


    <blockquote>


    You are walking the wrong way, sweetheart. You are walking the wrong way, are you trying to get me mad, Nona?


    </blockquote>


    Her belly grew, and she let out a gasp of pain. The images of a man with hazel eyes hunting her played through her mind, and she began to feel like someone was watching her.


    Nona quickened her pace, always looking over her shoulder, hoping to make it home before the pain became too much to bear. But as she turned the corner onto her street, she saw a figure standing in the shadows.


    <blockquote>


    Why you don''t listen to me, bloody girl! I told you to come home! Why don¡¯t you do as told! Why are you trying to get me upset? Why Nona? Why!


    </blockquote>


    Her heart racing, Nona tried to make out who it was, but the darkness obscured their features. She felt a surge of fear coursing through her veins, and her hands shook uncontrollably. She had never felt so much fear as right now.


    <blockquote>


    You should just get rid of it! We both know you are not fit to be a mother! What a joke, Nona, what a joke!


    </blockquote>


    Just as she was about to break into a run, the figure stepped out of the shadows, and she saw that it was just a neighbourhood cat. She let out a breath she didn''t know she was holding and continued on her way.


    The pain in her belly grew more intense with each step, and Nona felt like she was going to pass out. She stumbled up the steps to her house, barely managing to get the key in the lock before collapsing onto the floor in pain.


    Eske picked up his phone and dialled Robert''s number with shaking hands, his heart racing. He was concerned about Nona, who was lying on the bed with a huge belly as if she was near the due date.


    ''Hi, Robert? It''s Eske. Something is wrong with Nona. I don''t know what happened. I..., I think she is in pain..., fuck, what do I do?''; his voice shaky with worry.


    ''Calm down, buddy. What happened?'' Robert responded, his tone serious.


    Eske took a deep breath before explaining. ¡®Well, Nona''s pregnant, we all know, but now, and apparently, her belly grew up in a matter of seconds. She looks like she is going to be in labour at any moment. She was in a lot of pain, and I didn''t know what to make of it. She passed out. She passed out because of the pain. Help me.''Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Robert was silent for a moment as he processed the information: ''That''s certainly unusual.''


    Eske said: ''Do you think something could be wrong with the baby?''


    Robert paused for a moment, thinking: ''It''s hard to say without examining her, but it''s possible that it could be a case of rapid fetal growth.''; he said. ''It''s rare, but it can happen.''


    ''What? What the fuck is that?''


    ''Rapid fetal growth, or macrosomia, is a medical condition in which the fetus grows abnormally fast. This means the baby is larger than average, with a birth weight of 4,000 grams, regardless of gestational age.''


    Eske let out a sigh of relief, grateful for Robert''s medical expertise: ''So it would be normal in this case? Her belly was flat all this time...''


    ''While many babies with macrosomia are born without complications, it can increase the risk of difficulties during delivery, such as shoulder dystocia or a need for a cesarean delivery. So my advice is when you guys return, we first stop at the clinic and deliver the baby. Just hang on there, buddy. Soon you are going to clean some stinky diapers.''; Robert suggested. "I''ll see if I can schedule the delivery room and have everything ready for Nona.''


    Eske thanked Robert and hung up the phone, feeling a bit more at ease.


    He paced back and forth in the small bedroom and couldn''t shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled over him like a heavy blanket. Nona was still passed out, lying motionless on the bed.


    But seeing her like this, unresponsive, sent a shiver down his spine.


    He rushed to her side, gently shaking her shoulder. ''Nona, can you hear me?'' But there was yet to be a response.


    Eske felt utterly helpless. He had no idea what to do. Robert''s diagnosis gave him some relief, but still, he felt as if he was stuck in a nightmare.


    He could feel panic rising in his chest as he tried to think of what to do next. Should he call an ambulance? Should he try to wake her up again? Eske''s heart raced as he sat down next to Nona, taking her belly between his hand and kissing it. She looked so small and vulnerable, her face pale and breathing shallow.


    He had never felt so powerless in his life. He knew he had to do something but didn''t know what. He felt like he was failing his wife and their unborn child.


    Eske''s mind was racing, and he felt a lump forming in his throat. He reached out to hold Nona''s hand, hoping she would somehow feel his love and support.


    As he sat there, holding her hand, he realized that he needed to stay calm and focused. He took a deep breath, trying to centre himself and think rationally.


    He gently stroked Nona''s forehead and whispered words of love and encouragement. ''You''re going to be okay, Nona. I''m here for you, and I love you so, so, much. We are going to be okay.''


    After what felt like an eternity, Nona stirred, slowly opening her eyes. She looked dazed and confused, but she was conscious.


    Eske, let out a sigh of relief, feeling his heart rate return to normal.


    Nona moaned softly, her eyes fluttering open.


    Relief washed over Eske, and he squeezed her hand tightly. ''You''re awake...'' he said, tears streaming down his face.


    Nona looked up at him, and confusion etched on her face. ''What happened?'' she asked weakly.


    Eske''s voice shook as he explained everything that had happened, his words tumbling out in a rush.


    Nona listened silently, her hand gripping his tightly. As he finished, she gave him a small smile. ''It''s okay.'' she said softly. ''We''ll get through this together.''


    He leaned over to kiss her forehead. They might not know what was happening, but as long as they had each other, they could face anything. ''Nona, you''re still downloading.''


    ''I know, baby.''


    He helped her sit up and offered her some water, feeling grateful for the chance to be there for her at this moment. He knew they would face it together no matter what lay ahead.


    ''Baby, can I have some coffee instead of water?''


    ¡®No!¡¯


    As Eske turned his back, walking towards the kitchen. Nona hid her face and bit the pillow hard, trying to muffle her scream. His face was still hunting her, the man that chased her from Io to Earth. Delbert Day Whiterabbit.

 03:13 - The Ava Incident

    Ava sat by the window, sipping her tea as she watched the sky darken. The weather report had warned of an incoming storm, but she had hoped it would pass by without incident. Now, she could see the clouds swirling in the sky, and the wind was picking up.


    Her cat sat on the arm of the couch, hissing in fear as she watched the storm grow closer. Ava reached over and petted Tyche, hoping to calm her down, but the cat only grew more agitated.


    As Ava watched the storm, she noticed the TV flickered on. She had been certain she had turned it off earlier and felt a chill run down her spine.


    She got up from the couch, her tea forgotten and walked towards the TV. As she got closer, she could see that it was playing a news broadcast. The newscaster''s voice was urgent, warning people to take cover from the incoming storm.


    Ava felt a knot form in her stomach. She had never been one to be afraid of storms, but something about this one felt different. She looked out the window again and saw that the storm had grown even stronger.


    Tyche let out a loud yowl, and Ava turned back to the TV.


    She saw a very young woman with a perfectly symmetric face, a stoic expression that hid the fear of the inevitable speaking: ''Greetings, citizens of the world. I''m Chloe, speaking on behalf of Pi timeline. Don''t be afraid.''; her voice was flawless. Her young face appeared on every device worldwide, speaking in each language, correspondent of its location. Voice of an angel professing the judgment day.


    ''Your timeline has been selected to be eliminated. Your governmental choices, lack of mutual respect, and disinterest in protecting your world and preserving a future for your children have made your reality an eligible danger to our world. Here at Pi, we work hard to give a better world to all our citizens, with no countries, religion, greed or hunger. We are children of a healthy planet Earth. We are the dream that came true. We regret that you have not felt the righteousness to protect what is most needed - time. The deletion of .245863150 will be completed within the next hour. The only thing we can assure you of is that there will be no pain. There will be no regret. Your loss will be clean.¡¯; the young woman paused, and her eyes switched fast to the left. This message was not previously recorded. It was live.


    ¡®All you have built, discovered, created, memories and dreams in this reality will be archived and preserved in our database. Nothing is really lost.¡¯; another pause, but her eyes were still fixed on the camera: ¡®Besides you, Ava Garcia. We will mourn you. Remember you. You shall be gone, but your memories will haunt us as we have failed you. Rest in peace, citizen of Earth Pi. Please, enjoy your last moments with those you love the most, Tyche. We remember and care. Thank you for your sacrifice. Until we meet next time.'' The screen repeated the message, and the stoic staged voice could be heard under the silent scream of a time-space vortex swallowing the world slowly. At the same time, tornados, thunders and earthquakes ravaged the globe in each corner.


    This was the end that Eske warned her about, and Ava couldn''t comprehend why she was not afraid.


    Ava woke up in a cold sweat, her heart racing. She couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off, that something terrible was about to happen. Or had it happened? An odd sense of deja vu. Her phone rang, and it was Alice, a friend from high school.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ''Hello?''; Ava answered, her voice slightly groggy.


    ''Ava, hi! It''s Alice!''; Alice said, trying to contain her excitement. ''Listen, I have some incredible news.''


    ''What''s up?''; Ava asked, her voice starting to sound more awake.


    ''You sound weird. Are you all right?''


    Ava started to tell her about the dream she had just had. As she recounted the details, she could feel her friend growing more and more disinterested.


    ''So let me get this straight.''; Alice said with a chuckle. ''You had a dream where someone offered you entrance to some sort of paradise, perfect world, whatever, but you turned it down because of your cat? And then the world ended? Sounds like a real blockbuster.''


    Ava felt hurt by her friend''s response. She had hoped for some support or understanding, but instead, she was met with ridicule.


    ''It wasn''t just about the cat. They really wanted to save me, but I said no. I didn''t understand.''; Ava said, her voice trembling. ''It was about making a choice that felt true to myself, even if it meant turning down something that seemed perfect. It was really perfect, and I sacrificed for her. And he tried to help me.''; Ava tried to hold on to her tears.


    ''He? Was it a wet dream? If it is smut, please keep going.''


    ''No, just a guy with cat eyes and in a suit, and he explained to me that some people didn''t have second chances, and I was one of them. But then his wife made me soup. Just like my grannie used to do. And..., I woke up.''


    Alice sighed. ''Look, Ava, dreams are just dreams. They don''t mean anything. You shouldn''t worry yourself over something so silly.''


    Ava knew her friend meant well, but she couldn''t shake the feeling that her dream held some deeper meaning. She didn''t know what it was, but she knew it was important.


    ''You''re right. Sorry to have bothered you with silly dreams, as you said.''


    ''Before you hang up, you are coming tonight, right? Day and I have been working with genetic discovery now and, finally, have some extraordinary results. So, we''re hosting a gala event next week.''; Alice said. ''It''s going to be amazing, and I''d love for you to come and bring a plus one or two!''


    Ava was silent for a moment, taken aback by the invitation. She knew how important this event was for Alice and how much it meant to her and Day to raise funds for their project.


    ''I don''t know, Alice...''; Ava said, her voice hesitant. ''I''m not sure I''m the right person to bring to such a prestigious event. Is all science, and I''m more..., not so science person.''


    ''Nonsense!''; Alice exclaimed. ''You''re perfect. And besides, I could really use a friend there to help me get through the night. You know how Day gets when things don''t go his way.''


    Ava chuckled nervously. She could be a supportive friend, even in a fancy setting like a gala event. But she disliked Day. She couldn¡¯t bear to be in the same room as him. She couldn¡¯t understand how others around her couldn¡¯t see who he really was.


    ''Okay, Alice.'' Ava said, smiling. ''I''ll do it. The fuck, I have nothing to lose.''


    Alice laughed. ''Deal! You''re going to look amazing. I''ll send you all the details, and we''ll make it a night to remember. Who knows? Maybe you cross paths with your cat man.''


    She ended the call and sat silently for a moment, contemplating her dream. She knew she couldn''t ignore it, even if it seemed absurd to others.


    As she looked over at her cat, she realized that she would always prioritize the things that truly mattered to her, even if it meant facing the end of the world. She smiled, feeling a sense of peace wash over her, knowing that she would always stay true to herself, no matter what. And someone, somewhen, would also be watching over her because she was one of them. Always.

 03:14 - The Ava Incident

    Eske''s heart raced as he fumbled for his phone, trying not to wake up Nona, who was sleeping soundly on his chest. He could hear Chloe''s stoic voice starting the countdown: ''Greetings, citizens of the world. I''m Chloe, speaking on behalf of Pi timeline. Don''t be afraid.''; they had one hour from now on.


    ''It''s time?''; Nona woke moaning and rubbing her eyes.


    ''Five more minutes? For cuddles?''; Eske hid his face between Nona''s neck and shoulder.


    ''I will take forever to move out of bed with this huge paunch. Fuck, I feel like a whale!''; Nona complained, kicking the blankets backwards with her feet.


    ''Are you alright?''; Eske asked, noticing she was grumpy. Nona got out of bed, holding her lower back. She was clearly getting to the stage where she was uncomfortable with her body. ''Baby, do you need anything...? Are you okay?''


    ''I would be better with some coffee, a little mug of coffee, but no, some tyrant ruler seduced me and has forbidden me to have some.''; she complained, stretching her back. ''I miss coffee so much...''


    ''Come on, love, it is for the baby.''; he stood out of bed and hugged her from behind: ''I promise as soon as she comes out, safe and clean, I will buy you all the coffee you want.''; he whispered, kissing her neck. ''Black coffee, mocha coffee, with cream or ice cream, maybe some cinnamon...''


    ''You don''t need to seduce me. You already got me knocked up. But keep talking. I like it, sexy coffee talk. But now, seriously, I don''t believe I''m allowed to drink while breastfeeding.''


    ''Will ask Robert, deal? Just to be sure, there is no need to torture you for nothing.''


    ''Baby, you know I''m joking, sort of... I''m not actually mad at you. I''m just..., cranky.''


    ''You''re allowed, but I''m not taking my chances.''; he kissed her: ''Be extra careful this time. You come back to me, and safe, even if cranky and grumpy. I''m not asking. You come back to me.''; Eske whispered as he kissed her hand. ''And wow, you are glowing today.''


    Nona stepped back and stood at the window, smirking: ''I''m a glowing whale!''; as she finished her sentence simultaneously, her oversized t-shirt disappeared into black dusk and was replaced by a translucent draped coat that billowed behind her and silver metallic leggings that shone in the light. In her hand was a white metallic boomerang-shaped board, which she grasped tightly, slipping under her feet as she took flight.


    Eske started to get ready too. He quickly made the bed and had a cup of coffee while buttoning his shirt. He had been through this so many times that his movements were methodical and precise. Eske had seen the end of the world more times than he could count. It no longer left any impression on him. Just a typical day at the office.


    He added a black tie to his ensemble and smoothed out the creases in his suit. It was his habit to dress formally, even in the face of impending doom. It made him look good and gave him a sense of calm and control, a small semblance of order in the chaos. Eske was unfazed by the disappearing timeline. It was a feeling he had grown accustomed to over the years. He had travelled through countless timelines, some thriving and full of life while others fading away into nothingness. It was all part of the job.


    The storm outside was growing stronger, the winds howling and the rain lashing against the windows. But Eske remained with his mind focused on the task at hand. And couldn''t hide his devilish smile whenever he heard Nona''s screams from the beyond, unravelling the very end of times.


    As he gazed from the opened window through the empty streets, he could confirm that this world was on its last legs. The buildings were crumbling, and the sky was dark and ominous. The winds began to pick up, whipping through the streets with a ferocity that he had so many times seen before. The ground trembled beneath his feet, and he could hear the distant rumble of thunder.


    The storm grew stronger, and soon it was all around him. The rain pounded down in sheets, the winds howled, and the lightning flashed across the sky. He knew he only had a little time before the timeline collapsed.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Eske had seen the world''s end many times before and learned to appreciate its beauty. The pattern in chaos and irrational forms and shape as dancing under Nona''s hollers. He had done his job, and now it was Nona''s playground. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to see the very end.


    Eske would try to stay as long as he could. Yet, without doors, it would be impossible to go back home for him. So, that''s it! Time to move on.


    Eske walked towards the first door on his way, pulled his WTL card out of his inner pocket and slid it on the door''s gap, his steps steady and sure.


    And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the storm stopped. The world around him was silent, and Eske could feel the timeline collapsing in on itself.


    Eske took one last look around, then turned and walked through the door. The timeline disappeared behind him, and he was left standing at gate number nine in WTL: .159265359, Earth - 3.14.


    Eske stepped through the gateway, the hustle and bustle of the HQ building hitting him like a wave. He looked around, taking in the chaos of people rushing to and fro, dragging suitcases and bags behind them. Time travellers from all around the cosmos, returning home. Most of them from .245863150, now eliminated. The noise of chatter and announcements echoed throughout the terminal, making it hard to hear oneself think.


    He walked through the crowds, trying to keep his head down and avoid bumping into anyone. The scents of fast food and coffee mixed together, creating a strange and slightly unpleasant aroma. Eske felt a pang of hunger, but he had no time to lose and walked hastily to the control floor.


    As he made his way towards the departure gates, he couldn''t help but observe the people around him. He saw businessmen and women rushed by, talking on phones and tapping away on laptops. Couples held hands and walked together, lost in their own little world.


    Eske felt a sense of wonder and awe at the diversity of people and cultures he and Nona had gathered around them. He couldn''t help but marvel at the fact that they were all amassed in one place, headed off to different destinations around the cosmos time. He knew most of their stories, hopes and dreams and when they were going.


    As he approached gate 4, he saw it decorated with balloons, ribbons, and a banner saying Welcome Ava. Nobody was expecting her. His report has been clear that Ava forfeited her citizenship to their timeline. But one soul didn''t lose hope.


    ''Marie Sue?''


    The short chubby woman turned with a wide round smile. She was holding a basket with goodies. All are decorated with golden ribbons and pamphlets with basic instructions, guides, how-tos and advice on how to live in this timeline. ''Mr Schrodinger!''; after all these years, she still couldn''t find in herself to call him Eske.


    ''What are you doing?''


    ''Maybe..., maybe she changed her mind.''; Marie Sue lowered her face when answering. ''Would be rude not to greet her.''


    ''Marie Sue, she is gone.''


    ''I know, but sometimes Nona gets late too. And maybe Ava slipped to a door by accident. Maybe, she jumped earlier and got lost. Maybe...''


    ''She is gone. We tried Marie Sue, you know that we tried. Everyone tried.''


    ''You should have killed the cat.''; she said, moping: ''Was the cat even cute?''; Eske took his phone and showed Tyche to Marie Sue: ''Ah, such a cutie. Damn it! He is adorable.''


    ''She, her name is Tyche.''


    ''So, nobody will come from the gates? Are you sure?''; Marie Sue asked with her last drop of hope.


    ''I''m sorry.''; he put his phone back into his pocket: ''Are you coming to the control room, or are you done for the day?''


    ''Is my day off actually, but you need me?''


    ''No, go home. Have a nice rest, and see you later.''


    Eske continued walking down the hallways, his hands deep inside his pockets, inspecting all his surroundings. Everything went as smoothly as they had planned. Well, almost. The new Schrodinger family member was utterly arbitrary but very much welcomed. No mission is easy, but everything has been done well enough. Nona will return safely, and they could spend the last month of her pregnancy without the stress of a mission in another timeline.


    Eske took the elevator to the HQ Control room, where his team was based, and all magic happened. As soon the elevator doors opened, he could feel it, like a wave crashing against him.


    He saw all his control room personnel stand up, applauding. He bowed, confused and finally understood. Ava Garcia did not disappear. Her T-DNA raised to 4.1%. While he stood there looking at the screen displaying Ava''s face and numbers, Eske realised he had no explanation or logical reason to answer his own question.

 03:15 - The Ava Incident

    Time passed, and no sign of Nona. Eske was sitten on the commander seat controlling each monitor and data the operators were recording before filing in WTL: .245863150-2023 into the archives.


    ''Anything?; he asked, looking to the team monitoring the gateways of the other continental HQ.


    ''APAC reported nothing, no GPS signal.''; said one of the operators


    ''AMERS the same, sir!''; replied another.


    ''What about the Antarctic? Did anyone check?''; asked Eske, looking to a screen showing the world map but with nothing in sight.


    ''Negative, sir.''


    ''Sir, I scanned all timelines on the database, which were negative. No GPS sign.''


    Eske nodded grimly at this news. He took his phone and tried once more. The number you have dialled is not available. Please try again later. ''Shit.''; he cursed.


    ''Sir, your orders?''; asked one of the technicians.


    Eske looked up from his phone while placing it back in his pocket. He nervously fidgeted with his wedding ring: ''Send radio signal again.''


    The operator nodded: ''Repeating radio signal, sir''; Eske waited tensely until he heard the ping come through on the other end.


    ''We got a signal!''; he exclaimed excitedly into the headset. Eske listened intently, a consistent beeping. A moment later, there came a response from AMERS HQ via monitor: ''The satellite has located her! We''re sending coordinates now...''


    Eske broke off when he saw that something was wrong: ''Where the fuck on Earth are those coordinates from?''


    A voice from a speaker in front of him: ''Sir, they aren''t from Earth.''


    For an instant, Eske thought someone had made some kind of joke but soon realised otherwise. It wasn''t possible. He turned around slowly, trying to take everything in. His mind raced over possibilities. ''Can you repeat?''


    A long pause followed, during which Eske''s heart pounded wildly, and sweat poured down his face.


    The voice spoke again: ''Sir, the signal is coming from space.''


    ''Are you certain?'' Eske asked incredulously. ''It can''t be! Are you fucking serious?''


    ''Yes, sir''. There was silence again for several moments. Afterwards, there came the reply: ''She''s alive. She must be aboard a space station.'' Another moment of hesitation, and then the voice continued: ''I think so, sir.''


    Eske stared ahead blankly for what seemed like ages. Slowly he began to realise that the unthinkable had happened. The woman he loved most in the world had somehow landed pregnant in a space station that was not supposed to exist.


    Eske and Nona didn''t build a space program. At least he didn''t plan it, did she? Or did she copy the information from another timeline. He had absolutely no idea how to process this sort of incident. What to expect and how to act upon it.


    ''Call Vihann Gupta, Dr Penelope Relogio, Dr Robert Relogio, and please call Marie Sue as well. I need them all here. Do we have people qualify for ... spacial stuff?''This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    A technician replied: ''I will search in the database, Sir.''


    Eske could barely control his thoughts or emotions any longer. What should he do first? Where would they even start their investigations without knowing anything about the situation except that it involved pregnancy and an unknown space station? Why didn''t he even think that this would be possible? How stupid could he be?


    He knew Nona was from Io, or at least part of her life was spent there. How didn''t he think that when we speak about timelines, it is the whole fucking universe?


    His hands trembled uncontrollably as he pulled out his cell phone again. He dialled Nona''s number and put the phone to his ear. The number you have dialled is not available. Please try again later.


    Vihann was the first to arrive, which was not surprising as the server rooms were on the subfloor of the building. When the elevator doors opened and he stepped out onto the floor, he gasped involuntarily at the sight of the scene unfolding before him. He immediately understood why Eske needed everyone present. ''Hey, boss, how''s life?''; he asked, taking note of the nervous tension emanating from Eske.


    ''Not good.''; Eske responded.


    They walked together towards Eske''s office, where he sat behind his desk, staring at the computer screen. ''Any brilliant idea?''


    ''Do we know which station she is?''


    ''How many are there?''


    ''How many did your wife build?''; asked Vihann.


    Eske sighed heavily. ''No. She never told me. I had no idea...''


    ''We find the space station, we mitigate the conditions and...''


    Eske interrupted him: ''Mitigate? What the fuck do we need to mitigate?''


    ''Mainly if she can breathe, gravity, food, water, is the station stable, Boss, I don''t know how old that thing is. It could be all pretty as a fucking resort, or it is a rubble of rusty garbage!''


    ''Time tastes like pennies and rust. Fuck!''; cursed Eske mumbling to himself: ''Prepare for the worst. It is definitely not a resort.''


    Someone knocked on the door.


    ''Come in!'' Eske yelled.


    Penny entered the room carrying a folder full of documents, all ready for action, whatever it might be. As far as Eske was concerned, she was the only person who ever really understood him.


    ''What''s that?'' Eske asked, pointing at the case.


    Penny smiled and placed it on Eske''s desk: ''Your instructions.''


    ''Instructions? For what?''


    ''Old Space files that the guys in the control room gathered. They asked me to bring them to you, but they sort of bookmarked it. If it helps..., how are you doing, bestie?''


    Eske sighed and shook his head: ''My pregnant wife is lost in space. How do you think I''m going?''; he opened a drawer where a pack of cigarettes was hidden and lit it up.


    ''Don''t worry, we''ll get you two back together.''; she said, sitting on the chair before him: ''Well, at least you''re not breaking things.''


    Eske chuckled bitterly: ''Yeah, right.''


    ''Why do you call me?''


    ''Because I need you.''; he said, puffing his cigarette: ''I can''t lose my shit.''


    ''You won''t.''; she assured him: ''Because Nona needs you.''


    Eske''s phone rang, and he answered it, putting it on speakers.


    ''Schrodinger.''


    ''Sir, we have the exact location and visuals.''


    ''I''m on my way!'' Eske said, hanging up the phone. He stood up quickly and hassled Penny and Vihann: ''Let''s go, let''s go!''


    Eske saw Nona floating in the air above a large display panel when they reached the control room. On it were displayed images of different space stations, some of which had obviously been destroyed by time.


    Eske''s heart dropped as he watched the monitor screen. There she was, his beautiful wife Nona, floating in the air with no gravity in the space station. But something was wrong. She was unconscious, her body limped and drifting slowly through the air. Eske felt a wave of panic wash over him.


    He tried to keep his voice calm as he spoke to the speaker. ¡®Nona, Nona, can you hear me?¡¯


    There was no response.


    Eske''s heart was pounding as he watched helplessly through the monitor in the control room of Skylab-84.


    Now, do you still think I was a drama queen about the Ava Incident? It didn''t even start.

 03:16 - The Ava Incident

    Nona floated in the air, her long grey hair drifting around her face in the weightless environment of Skylab-84. Her draped, translucent coat flowed around her like a ghostly veil. Her hands were pressed against the wall, trying to anchor herself in place as she assessed her situation.


    Unable to move, and completely weightless. Her heart raced as Nona tried to calm herself and think through her options.


    Nona took a deep breath and tried to focus on the task at hand. She needed to assess the conditions inside the space station.


    But her concentration was interrupted by a sudden wave of pain as she felt the first contraction of her labour.


    Her mind raced as she tried to balance the urgency of her situation with the need to stay calm and focused. She needed to figure out what was happening, but she couldn''t ignore the growing pressure in her abdomen.


    She pushed off from the wall, slowly drifting through the air as she approached the control room. All instrument panels were turned off. She scanned for any possible readings, tried to make sense of any data, and zero. She was isolated in space.


    She tries to find a way to connect the radio signal from the space station to Earth Pi, hoping to call for help. But as she looked around, she realized the radio equipment was also turned off. Panic set in as she realized she was completely alone and cut off from any communication with Earth Pi.


    The contractions grew stronger and more frequent. Nona knew that she didn''t have much time. She removed her ring from her annular and switched the FM to AM frequency. Another violent contraction made her almost lose grip on her wedding ring.


    Desperately, Nona tried to focus on switching the radio frequency, her hand shaking with the intensity of the pain. She knew that she needed to get through to anyone on Earth. Anyone who could help her and her unborn baby.


    She could feel herself about to pass out. Nona''s vision began to blur as the pain overwhelmed her. She struggled to keep her focus on the little ring''s switch, but her hand slipped, and she dropped it. It floated away from her, a tiny glint of gold disappearing into the darkness of Skylab-84.


    Feeling defeated and alone, Nona''s mind raced with fear and desperation. She knew she needed to take action, to try something, try anything, to save herself and her baby.


    With one final burst of strength, Nona managed to grasp her ring back. It would send a signal out into the vast expanse of space, hoping that someone would hear her call for help.


    As she waited, gasping for breath and clutching her abdomen, Nona knew that every moment counted. She couldn''t give up, not when she was so close to bringing new life into the world. But her eyes were too heavy and finally closed.


    After what felt like an eternity, a voice crackled through the static on the speakers. ''Nona, Nona, can you hear me?''


    Relief flooded through Nona''s body, but she could not talk. She had no more strength left.


    ''Baby, my love, please answer.''


    ''Eske...''


    ''We are doing everything we can to bring you home.''


    ''Baby, it hurts. I can''t do this.''


    There was silence for several moments before Eske replied, his words tinged with concern: ''I know, my love, just hang on.''


    Nona drifted with the lights flickered above her, their dim glow barely illuminating the emptiness surrounding her.


    Another contraction came, making Nona gasp. A drop of blood floated above her cheek. There was nothing else she could do. She was losing consciousness again. With all the will she could muster, she reached out with her free hand towards the control panel. ''Eske, she is coming.''


    ''Yes, yes, don''t worry, Nona. We''re right here beside you. You''ve got this.''


    ''Baby, I can''t hold it anymore. I''m hurting her.,'' said Nona.


    A tear drifted from Nona''s eye.


    ''Just breathe, my love,'' whispered Eske. ''Robert is almost here, and he can help us. Maybe you can hold a little longer.''


    Nona''s head slumped forward, her mouth hanging open. As she passed out, another contraction wracked her body.


    ''Where the fuck is Robert?''; yelled Eske from the other side.


    ''Nona. Nona? Nona, you need to wake up.''


    Nona opened her heavy lids: ''I''m here.''; she mumbled faintly.


    ''Good, now listen carefully, Nona. Robert is here because this next bit might be tricky.''; Eske said:


    ''Robert?''


    ''Hey, Mum, how are you?''; Robert paused: ''That was very foolish to ask.''


    Nona smiled weakly.


    ''You''re going to have to trust me, Nona. And we will make this the easiest way possible for you, okay? Are you up to the challenge, Mum?''


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.''Yeah...''


    ''So, first thing first, I need you to touch your belly and tell me where the baby''s head is. It should be at your lower abdomen.''; Robert explained.


    ''Okay, I am touching my stomach.''; Nona pushed back the draped stained fabric with blood, of her coat and pressed gently over her skin: ''It''s on my left side. I think her feet are on the lower side.''


    ''Shit!''; Robert''s voice crackled through the radio: ''Nona, we need to perform a C-section, but we must do it carefully. I need you to remain calm and follow my instructions closely. Can you do that, Mum?''


    Nona nodded. ''I can try.''


    ''Great! So let''s begin...''; Robert began his instructions: ''Okay, Nona, I need you to locate the medical kit. It should be in a compartment marked with a red cross. Do you see it?'' Robert asked. ''Or sometimes they are like green boxes. Usually, they are on the wall or under a desk... did you find anything?''


    Nona floated through the air, looking around for the compartment. As she searched, she felt another sharp contraction, forcing her to stop moving.


    ''No, I found nothing.''


    ''Well, then look harder. It has to be there somewhere. If not, we''ll improvise.''; Robert replied calmly.


    ''Okay, I''m still searching.''; Nona said.


    ''Look along the walls until you see a door labelled "Emergency". That''s probably it.''; Robert instructed.


    Nona continued her search, floating slowly across the floor. Then suddenly, she spotted a small door labelled Emergency. She grabbed the handle and pulled open the hatch. ''I think I see it. Yes, I found it!''; she replied.


    Inside, she saw two metal cabinets. One was filled with various medical supplies, while the other contained surgical tools.


    ''Excellent, Nona!''; Robert urged her forward: ''Good job, Mum! Now, open the kit and locate the scalpel, the clamps, and the suture. Do you see them?''; Robert instructed.


    Nona fumbled through the kit, searching for the items: ''Yes, I found them.''; she replied.


    ''Excellent, now take the scalpel and make a small incision just above your pubic bone, being careful not to cut too deep.''; Robert said.


    Nona complied, cutting a thin line in her flesh. But as soon the blade cut her skin, it healed itself rapidly. She repeated the process many times, each time having to start anew. After a few minutes, she gave up. She was exhausted by the pain: ''It''s healing too fast.''


    She had no reply from the other side. She could hear nervous chattering being one of the voices Eske.


    ''Nona, I cannot recommend the following procedure as a doctor. It will be completely up to you, but the baby cannot remain inside you. You may risk infection or worse, and the same for the baby girl.''; Robert warned.


    ''Just tell me what to do. I have taken worse things out of myself. A baby cannot the worse than that..., it''s my baby.''


    ''Very well, Nona, then here goes:'' Robert began, he spoke slowly and deliberately: As you do the incision take the clamps and use them to pull apart the incision.'' Robert instructed. ''Once you have an opening, use one of your hands to pull away the skin.''


    ''Okay..., okay, I can do that.''; Nona agreed.


    ''Nona?''; Eske''s voice resonated through the speaker. ''Baby, you can do this. I know you can. You''re not alone.''


    ''Don''t look.''; Nona whispered.


    Nona stabbed herself with the scalpel, but not deep enough. As soon as she made a small cut, she pieced it with two fingers and held the skin with one of the clamps. Nona bit her lower lip hard, almost feeling the taste of blood. She didn''t want Eske to hear her. She repeated the process using four clamps, but Nona could feel her skin contracting, fighting against the pressure. Her body shook, and breathing gave her a burning sensation in her nostrils: ''Now..., now..., what do I do..., Robert?''


    ''Okay, Nona. Now, make another incision, this time along the midline of the uterus. Make it long enough to allow the baby to pass through.''; Robert said.


    ''I don''t have more clamps.''; Nona cried.


    ''Do what you must. Just make sure the wound doesn''t heal before the baby does.''; Robert said.


    ''Okay..., okay, I can do this..., I can do this''; she felt her lids heavy again and fought to keep her eyes wide open. She explored her insides to understand how her baby girl was positioning and find a gap between the little one''s knees and feet. Nona stabbed her again. She dropped the scalpel and ripped her uterus.


    This time Nona didn''t hold herself. She screamed her lung off once, then twice, until it was interrupted by the cry of a baby born in space. Yet, the adrenaline rush was over. Nona''s lungs were burning, her eyes closed, and the only sound that could be heard from space was the cry of a newborn girl.

 03:17 - The Ava Incident

    Eske''s heart raced once again as he watched the live feed from Skylab-84 on the monitor in front of him. Everyone could see. He didn¡¯t want to believe what was displayed. His wife and child were in grave danger, and he was helpless to do anything about it. Nona lay motionless again, her belly open and his child floating in the air without gravity. He could see the panic among his people as they struggled to find a solution to the rapidly depleting oxygen levels. There would be no time for them; soon, there wouldn''t even be enough breathable atmosphere left inside that station. ''Can anyone...''; Eske couldn''t speak or think. He was about to lose it.


    A hand landed on his shoulder: ''Come on, Eske, we got this. Right?''; Penny''s words forced him to refocus. Eske took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He knew that he needed to stay focused and help his team find a solution to save his wife and little girl. But at that moment, all he wanted more than anything else in the world was just to have been able to stop this thing before it started. He turned to Penny and nodded. ''Right.''; he said, trying to sound confident: ''We got this. Let''s figure out what''s going on and come up with a plan.''


    One of the engineers, Vihann, stepped forward and explained that there was probably a malfunction in the oxygen generator that might have stopped air production.


    ''That doesn''t make any sense, ...''; said Eske confused.


    ''The station looks decades old. It might have a trigger system that blocks production in case of malfunction. Otherwise, it just ignites. The choice here is dying suffocated or die burning.'';


    Eske felt sickened by such an idea: ''She is passed out, this time, could even not wake up.''; Eske knew that they needed to act fast. The AMERS team was preparing to fly to the space station, but they were still on land and running out of time. They needed a temporary solution to keep Nona alive until the rescue team arrived.


    ''If she woke up, try to find spare oxygen tanks, but they wouldn''t last long enough. Then, one of the engineers earlier suggested using CO2 scrubbers to produce oxygen. But we all saw her, Boss, she is done. I don''t think that woman can''t even lift a finger.''


    ''So now what? We watch her die?''; asked Eske desperately.


    Penny spoke up then: ''Let''s not fall to conclusions. She has awoken several times and did... did things that none of us would have the balls to do. If there anyone can survive in those conditions, that would be Nona.''; Penny looked over to Eske and added: ''I''m more worried about..., the baby.''


    Eske turned his attention back to the monitor seeing the baby drifting in the air, still attached to his mother by the umbilical cord. Eske had seen many strange sights during his years as a time traveller, but nothing like this. It made him feel powerless and useless. As much as he hated to admit it, he was scared shitless to lose them. ''We''re fucked.''; he muttered under his breath.


    ''What are you saying?''; Penny replied, looking over at Eske.


    Eske shook his head, ''Nothing!''; he said reassuringly: ''Just talking to myself!''


    As time ticked by, the situation on Skylab-84 seemed direr and direr. Eske, Penny, and Vihann had exhausted all possible options to help Nona, and the rescue team was far from taking off. All they could do was watch helplessly as the oxygen levels continued to drop and Nona remained unconscious.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.''It won''t take long.''; whispered Eske.


    He wasn''t sure if he meant minutes, hours, days, or weeks, but he knew that whatever came next would be bad, very bad. He was too frightened to look away from the screen anymore, so he leaned closer and stared intently at the scene playing out before him. Suddenly something caught his eye.


    Something strange happened. On the monitor in front of him, he saw a figure in a spacesuit enter the room where Nona and his daughter were. The suit was unlike any they had ever seen before, with sleek lines and intricate red details, showing off a feminine silhouette.


    ''What the fuck is that?''; Eske shouted out loud.


    Everyone around the table turned their heads towards him, surprised as him. The figure then turned its attention to the baby, gently wrapping it in a blanket and cradling it in its arms. ''Happy Birthday!''; the stranger shoutout cheerfully to the infant.


    Nona woke up and opened her eyes, staring straight ahead at the face of the unknown person holding the crying infant. She blinked slowly and smiled and, after a few moments, passed out again. A strange round object was floating in the air. The red figure opened it and placed the baby inside before focusing its attention on Nona.


    The figure grabbed Nona''s hand and placed on her face some sort of mask: ''You''ll be all right. I got you!''; the figure chirped.


    Nona''s eyes opened, and she gasped for air. She removed her clamps with a shaky hand while the red figure helped her to suture the wound.


    Eske, Penny, and Vihann were all stunned. None of them had any idea what was happening or who this figure in the spacesuit could be. With trembling hands, Eske reached over to the console and spoke: ''Who is this?''


    The figure looked in the camera''s direction and waved: ''Hi!''; said smiling.


    Vihann began to get nervous: ''This isn''t real. Someone must be messing with us.''


    Eske shook his head in disbelief: ''That is a time traveller.''


    There was silence in the control room for several seconds, everyone staring at each other nervously. Finally, Eske broke the ice and asked: ''Could you identify yourself?''


    The figure searched in its front pocket and jumped closer to the camera, showing a card with bold font reading WTL Ava P Schrodinger. ''It''s me.''; said the figure.


    ''Ava?''; said Eske shocked.


    ''It''s a pretty name. I like it.''


    ''How...''; Eske stuttered.


    ''It''s my birthday. I turn 21. This is my first jump.''; Ava explained proudly.


    ''It''s really nice to meet you, Ava.''; Eske replied, feeling awkward.


    ''It is nice to meet you too..., I guess. But I saw you... this morning at breakfast.''; she answered with a cracking voice as if holding it back.

 03:18 - The Ava Incident

    Eske stood nervously before the incubator, gazing at his newborn daughter with mixed emotions. He felt a sense of awe and wonder at the tiny, fragile creature before him, yet at the same time, he couldn''t help but feel a twinge of anxiety and disdain.


    The birth of his daughter, who was still unnamed, had been traumatic for him and mainly for Nona. The labour was a spectacle of horror and gore, and at one point, it seemed as though they might lose Nona. Eske had been terrified at the thought of losing the love of his life, and the memory of those harrowing moments still haunted him. It would take a very long time before he could rid himself of that dreadful fear, or so he told himself.


    As he looked at his daughter lying there in the incubator, he felt a flood of conflicting emotions. He was grateful that his Nona had survived and that their daughter was alive and well. Still, he couldn''t shake the feeling that he didn''t know how to feel about this new addition to their family.


    Eske had always imagined that the birth of his child would be a joyful and life-affirming experience, but the reality had been very different. He felt guilty for not feeling the overwhelming joy and love that he knew he should be feeling, but he couldn''t help but be consumed by shame and regret.


    He gazed down at her helplessly, wondering why he hadn''t loved her from the moment she came into existence. Wasn''t this what every father wanted? To have such an amazing gift bestowed upon them. Why did he find it so hard to appreciate or even acknowledge this wondrous miracle?


    As he stood there, lost in thought, Robert approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    ''She''s doing well.''; Robert said, smiling reassuringly. ''She''s a strong little fighter.''


    Eske nodded absently. His mind was elsewhere.


    Robert noticed his friend looking out through the glass wall: ''Do you want to hold her?''


    It took Eske several seconds to realise that he was being asked if he wanted to touch his daughter. He smiled weakly and shook his head, then turned back towards the incubator again. For some reason, he found it difficult to look at his baby girl directly: ''I don''t think I deserve it right now.''; he muttered under his breath.


    ''None sense, come with me.''; Robert replied kindly, leading the way over to where a nurse had laid out a small blanket. As soon as she saw Eske approach, she hurried forward and helped him lift his daughter up onto his arms.


    ''Careful with her head.''


    Eske gently cradled his daughter against his chest, feeling a strange sensation of warmth radiating from her body. She wasn''t crying, which surprised him somewhat. He expected her to make noise after having just emerged from inside her mother, but she remained perfectly silent. Her eyes were closed tightly, almost like someone in deep slumber, and she made no other movement than to breathe evenly.


    Stolen story; please report.He held his daughter close, staring lovingly into her face for quite some time, trying to decide whether or not he liked the way she looked. It took him some time to understand that this little girl had his chin, his lips and his cheek. And her smell, what was wrong with her scent?


    ''Did you put something on her?''; Eske suddenly asked.


    Robert frowned and lowered his gaze. ''No, nothing...''; he murmured quietly.


    ''Why does she smells so good?''; Eske continued inquisitively.


    Robert and the nurse laughed: ''Buddy, you can smell it because she is your daughter.''


    For once, Eske realised that he actually felt happy. ''Ava, that''s her name. She likes it.''


    As soon Eske finished his sentence, the nurse wrote on the incubator Ava P Schrodinger.


    Ava stumbled through the door of Skylab-84, her heart pounding in her chest. She had just returned from a harrowing journey through time, where her first jump in space and time was to save herself from a tragic fate at birth. But as she looked around the lab, her excitement and round were turned quickly into mundane horror.


    The room''s walls were covered with diagrams for some kind of intricate machinery, complex calculous and space-time maps she drew herself. She had once an outstanding math teacher.


    Ava removed her helmet, releasing her dark black hair to fall down her shoulders. She could see with her dark tired eyes, from the visor, the planet Earth being torn apart by a massive time vortex, the fabric of the universe unravelling around it. The end of time was imminent, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.


    Ava felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her, and for a moment, she couldn''t move. But then she remembered her little brother, who was in one of the lab''s rooms, drooling and unresponsive, downloading thousands of timelines simultaneously.


    Not only Earth Pi timeline itself as all the ones that their parents had collected over time. It was too much for Eve. He wasn''t ready yet. Her little brother was only 14, and he couldn''t jump yet and condemn himself to be a little boy forever.


    She rushed to his quarter, her hands shaking as she tried to wake him up. But he remained in a catatonic state, oblivious to the chaos unfolding inside of him.


    Ava felt a surge of desperation. She didn''t know what to do. How to save her brother from the end of the world?


    ''Hey, Eve, I''m back. I saw mum, and I saw dad. It was really cool. In no time, it will be your turn, and then we can go whenever we want. Right?''; she cleaned his chin with her sleeve: ''Just hold on tight little prince, you are doing so good. You know you have dad''s eyes. He looked really cool. Just hold on.''


    Her voice cracked, and tears started rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them away angrily but eventually placed her head over her brother''s chest and cried her heart out. ''I miss them so much, so, so, much.''

 04:01 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    As the adults gathered around the birthday cake, Eske noticed his daughter scanning the room for her mother. She had been eagerly waiting for this day, but now that it had arrived, she couldn''t help but feel anxious without her mother by her side. Eske pulled her closer to him: ''It''s all right. We can sing again when she comes back.'' He was trying hard not to show how much he was worried.


    Just as the adults were about to start singing, a loud and unexpected interruption cut through the room. ''Robert!''; a woman''s voice called out, causing everyone to turn and look. Eske furrowed his brows as he recognized Penny approaching them. Bright red hair, piercing vivid eyes, and clothes covered in blood.


    As the woman drew closer, the silence in the room became even more palpable. Ava''s heart raced, and she hid behind her father''s leg like a frightened child. The woman looked taken aback for a moment but quickly composed herself. ''I''m sorry to barge in like this, but I need to speak with my husband, Robert.''; she said, her eyes flickering over to Ava and the birthday party. ''I..., I..., can explain. I just need to speak to Robert.''; she added.


    Ava clung to Eske''s leg, trembling with fear. She didn''t understand what was happening but could sense the danger in the air. The other adults at the party were frozen, unsure how to react. Eske felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the silent tension between Robert and the woman escalate. He had never seen Robert act this way before. Robert was the calmest and pacified person he had ever met. He tried to distract Ava by pointing out the colourful balloons and decorations around them. However, she could still sense the danger in the air.


    ''Penny?''; Eske asked cautiously, wondering if he should invite her closer to him.


    Robert stepped forward. The gun held firmly in his hand: ''Step back, buddy, I handle this.''; he said, his voice low and menacing. ''When are you from?''


    The woman''s expression hardened as she glared at Robert. ¡®Don''t play dumb with me, Robert. You know exactly who I am,¡¯; she spat.


    ''Who?''; Robert responded with a dry chuckle, feigning ignorance. His tone sounded calm and collected on the surface, but his eyes betrayed deeper anger. A vein bulged slightly in one temple as he spoke.


    Ava tugged on Eske¡¯s pants leg, her voice shaking: ''Daddy, I''m scared.''; she whispered. Eske scooped her up into his arms, holding her tightly as he watched the tense standoff between Robert and the woman.


    ''Put down the gun, Robert!''; Penny said firmly. ''Let''s talk this out.''


    But Robert only shook his head, his eyes flickering with anger: ''She''s not who she says she is!''


    As the standoff continued, Ava clung to him tightly, her tears soaking into his shirt. He whispered soothing words into her ear, trying to calm her down as he waited for a resolution to the dangerous situation unfolding before them


    ''What do you mean? Who isn''t who they say they are?''; Penny stared straight ahead, looking very tired. ''Robert, baby, come on, stop with the joke. The kids are getting scared.''; she pleaded.


    But Robert remained unmoved: ''No.''; he replied angrily.


    Suddenly, there was a loud screeching sound followed by a bang with the smell of burned gunpowder, and the woman lay down on the ground with a clean shoot between her eyes. Ava screamed, and Eske held her tighter, shielding her from the chaos around them. The other adults at the party were equally stunned, looking around in confusion.


    Robert lowered his gun, his eyes darting around the corpse, still warm. ''Penny never calls me Robert. Even if she is mad, she calls me Bobby.'' he muttered to himself. As he stood over the body, his face contorted with rage, his eyes flashing with hatred. Suddenly, he turned towards Eske: ''Where the fuck is my wife, Schrodinger?!''


    Eske sat on the edge of Ava''s bed, watching her sleep peacefully for a moment before sighing heavily. He knew he couldn''t keep the truth from her forever. He would have to tell her what had happened and explain why her mother had not attended her birthday party.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.He stroked her hair gently, hoping she wouldn''t wake up and ask him questions he didn''t know how to answer. But as he stood up to leave the room, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open.


    ''Daddy, where''s mommy?''; she asked, her voice trembling. Eske knelt down beside her again so quickly it was almost involuntary. His heart sank when he saw the fear on his daughter''s face, which seemed to be mixed with some kind of deep suspicion.


    Eske took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation he knew he had to have. ''Mommy couldn''t make it to the party, sweetheart.''; he said softly.


    The girl frowned at this evasive reply but did not say anything else. She just stared off into space in silence until she asked: ''Why not?''; her brow furrowed in confusion.


    Eske sighed deeply and tried another tack. It wasn''t easy because he could feel tears welling up within him and threatening to overflow like waterfalls whenever he looked upon those beautiful dark eyes of hers, eyes that were now filled with such sorrowful bewilderment. Eske hesitated, unsure of how much to tell her. He didn''t want to scare her or burden her with adult problems. But he knew that she deserved the truth. ''Something unexpected came up, honey. Mommy is taking care of it. Soon, Daddy will pick her up, and she''ll come here and give you a big night kiss.''; he added hastily.


    Ava''s eyes widened in alarm: ''Is she okay?''; she asked, her voice rising.


    Eske nodded reassuringly. ''Yes, she will be okay. She is doing Vortex Space-Time thingies. Daddy explained to you how it works, Mummy''s head sometimes is on the wrong timeline, and she forgets her way home. And Daddy looks up in all the time maps until he finds Mommy, brings her safe and sound back home. Right?''


    Ava nodded silently, still frowning slightly: ''Are you going to shoot Mommy if she comes late?''; she inquired calmly, though there was a note of nervousness beneath her words.


    This time Eske laughed bitterly: ''No, Ava, never.''


    ''But why did aunt Penny come to the party and yell at you and uncle Bobby?''; Ava asked, her voice still shaking.


    Eske took a deep breath, knowing that this was part of the story that would be most confusing for Ava: ''That lady was not your aunt, sweetheart.''; he said gently: ''She was someone who looked like aunt Penny, but she was not really her. She was a copy from another timeline.''; He paused for a moment, wondering whether he should add more details about alternate timelines but decided against it. For one thing, he thought, it might confuse her even further.


    Ava''s eyes widened in horror: ''What do you mean?''; she asked, fear creeping into her voice.


    Eske took her hand and squeezed it gently: ''Sometimes, there are people who look like us but are not really us. They are like doppelgangers.''


    Ava''s face crumpled in confusion: ''But why would she come to my birthday party?''; she asked.


    Eske shook his head: ''I don''t know, honey. I think she was looking for someone else. She got her memories mixed up with our real Penny.''


    Ava''s eyes filled with tears again. ''I don''t understand.'': she said, her voice choked with emotion.''Do I have another Ava?''


    ''No, my love, you were born in this timeline. It is impossible for you to have a... a copy.''; Eske replied.


    For a long minute, Ava sobbed quietly while Eske held her close. Then suddenly, she stopped crying and lifted her tear-stained face to stare directly into Eske''s eyes. ''I don''t understand.''


    Eske pulled her close to him, hugging her tightly. ''I know, sweetheart. It''s okay not to understand everything right now. But I promise you that I will always be here for you, no matter what. And I will always keep you safe.''


    Ava sniffled, clinging to him tightly.


    Eske stayed with her until she fell asleep, hoping that he had done enough to reassure her and ease her fears. As he closed Ava''s bedroom, he took his phone: ''Vhiann, tell me you have something.''

 04:02 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    Nona slowly opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but pain shot through her body, making her gasp. She looked around and realized she was in an apartment with no doors. The windows were covered with newspapers, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Her head ached fiercely. There seemed nothing on it except an awful pressure behind one eye, which made her wince involuntarily whenever she moved or breathed too deeply.


    Her face and body were bruised and battered, and her arm was burned as if with acid. Almost seemed it was covering something that used to be there.


    She tried to remember what had happened to her, but her mind was blank. All she felt was pure terror, and she couldn''t understand why.


    Nona tried to get out of bed, but her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor. She crawled to the nearest wall and leaned against it, trying to gather her thoughts.


    She heard someone walk into the apartment, and as soon as they entered the room, they saw Nona lying on the floor, bruised and battered. She saw a man with a stoic face, hazel eyes and wild curly hair. He looked as if he felt a pang of guilt and concern. ''Baby, what happened?''; he asked, worried as he knelt beside her. ''Are you okay?''; his voice was calm and soothing.


    ''I can''t feel my legs.''; said Nona weakly. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with fear: ''I don''t know.''; she whispered: ''I don''t remember anything.''


    The man put on his most caring smile and helped her. He led her back to the bed and aided her in lying down. ''Don''t worry.''; he said, stroking her hair: ''I''ll take care of you. I''m the only one who knows how to make you feel better.''


    Nona tried to pull away from him, but he held her tight.


    ''Don''t you even dare!''; he snapped, his smile quickly turning into a scowl: ''I''m trying to help you, and you''re being ungrateful.''


    Nona shivered at the sudden change in his demeanour. She couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was off about this man. She tried to remember what had happened before she woke up in this place, but her mind was blank.


    ''Please, just let me go.''; she pleaded, tears streaming down her bruised face. ''I don''t want to be here. Let me go!''


    The man''s grip tightened, and he leaned in close to her. ''You''re not going anywhere, not until I decide you''re ready.''; he said, his voice low and menacing. ''You''ll stay here with me where you belong.''


    ''What do you want?''; Nona asked, fear and desperation evident in her voice.


    The man''s expression softened slightly as he looked at her. ''I want you, Nona.''; he said, his voice low and intense. His hand slid under her shirt. ''It has always been about you.''; he added, pulling her closer, so their faces almost touched. ''I want access to a perfect timeline, and you''re the key to that. Together, we can create a future where everything is perfect. With you, it can only be perfect.''


    A wave of nausea swept over Nona. This was all wrong, and she knew instinctively that whatever this man wanted would bring disaster for everyone. ''I don''t understand.''; she said: ''I don''t know what you''re talking about!''


    The man leaned in even closer, his face just two fingers away from hers. ''I''ve been studying time travel for years, and years, and years.''; he said. ''I''ve found someone who can draw the perfect time map and find the perfect timeline, but you betrayed me! And given the key to unlocking the secrets of time to someone else! Someone who doesn''t deserve you!''


    His words sent waves of horror coursing through Nona, but she didn''t say anything more. She stared into those strange greenish-hazel eyes and thought furiously, searching for some escape route, any means by which she could survive. Nona shook her head in disbelief. This man was insane. ''I don''t want anything to do with time travel.''; she said. ''I just want to go home, please.''Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    The man''s grip tightened once again. ''You don''t understand, Nona. This is home!''; he said, his voice growing more urgent. ''This is bigger than just you and me. This is about creating a perfect future, a world without pain or suffering. And you''re the only one who can help me achieve that.''


    He pulled her closer still, and Nona began to resist desperately. She struggled against the hands holding her arms tightly but couldn''t break free.


    ''Stop it!''; she cried, struggling to speak between gasps of breath as her struggles grew stronger and harder. ''Let me go! Let me go!'' Nona looked up at him, her eyes filled with terror. She knew she had to escape, but how?


    ''This is unfair, Nona. There was a time you loved me!''; he continued, his voice full of regret.


    ''No.''; Nona gasped, her throat burning as she fought to breathe. ''I would never love someone like you. You are no better than frogs!''; she shouted, unsure what the words meant, but he immediately released her.


    ''Frogs...''; he said, confused as he backed away from her.


    Nona turned away, her heart pounding. ''You are no better than the frogs, filthy rabbit.''; she said between her teeth as if spitting an insult.


    ¡®You don¡¯t even remember my name.¡¯


    The next day the man, her captor, was cleaning the apartment. He seemed to be in a good mood, humming a tune as he swept the floor. When he noticed that Nona was awake, he turned to her with a smile.


    ¡®Good morning, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?¡¯; he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. ''I hope I didn''t hurt you too much last night.''; he put his arm around her waist and leaned close to whisper into her ear: ''It''s all right. You liked it.''. She shivered involuntarily at this strange touch of an unknown hand on her body. The man leaned further and forced his lips against hers. She restrained herself not to push him away. He was pleased. With another smile, he said: I knew you''ll learn to like it.''


    Nona tried to push herself up, but her body ached all over: ''I''m in pain. Please, can you tell me what''s going on?''; she asked, her voice shaking.


    The man walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed: ''You don''t remember, darling? You don''t remember, do you?''; he asked, his expression turning serious: ''Well, that''s understandable. You had a nasty fall, and you hit your head. You''ve been confused since then. My poor baby, you are very clumsy.''; he reached out for one of her hands. As he held it between both of his own, he looked intently into her eyes. His grip tightened painfully. She could feel his fingers digging into her flesh through the thin fabric of her shirt.


    Nona looked at him sceptically. She had a feeling that he wasn''t telling her the whole truth, but she didn''t want to provoke him; ''Can I please go home?''; she asked softly, her eyes pleading.


    The man''s face hardened: ''I''m afraid that''s not possible right now.''; he said: ''But don''t worry, I''ll take care of you. Are you hungry? I can make you some breakfast.''; he stood up, taking her by the shoulders so that their faces were almost touching: ''Don''t try anything funny,''; he warned, staring hard into her eyes: ''Or else... I''ll be mad.''


    Nona hesitated for a moment, but her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn''t eaten anything in a long time. ''Yes, please.''; she said quietly.


    The man got up and went into the kitchen, and Nona heard the sound of pots and pans clanging together. After a few minutes, he emerged from the kitchen with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. He set it down on the table in front of her.


    ''Here you go.''; he said, his eyes fixed on her: ''Eat up before it gets cold.''


    She picked up the fork and began eating mechanically, her mind preoccupied. Nona didn''t want to eat anything he had prepared, but she knew she needed to keep her energy up if she wanted to escape. She forced herself to take a few bites, but the food tasted bland and unappetizing as if she was eating dry lentils and chippered wood.


    She tried to think of a way out of her predicament as she ate. She knew that she had to be careful not to provoke the man, but she couldn''t just sit there and do nothing. She had to find a way to escape and get help. Her thought was interrupted by the man brushing her hair behind her ear: ''Do you remember at least my name?''; he asked.


    ''No'', she replied honestly. ''Why should I have any idea who you are?''


    He smiled again, his teeth showing whitely. ''Because we''re married.'' To prove his word, he placed a wedding ring over the table with the inscription Love of my life AM.

 04:03 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    As Nona spends more time in the apartment, she becomes increasingly aware of her kidnapper''s habits and routines. She carefully observes his movements and patterns, hoping to find a way to escape. Her hopes are not high, but if there is any chance at all for freedom, it will be through knowledge gained from close observation. And so one day, when he has gone out for work, she learns that he does this every morning after breakfast at 07.45AM. She learned the man who named himself Day, which sounded like a fake alias to her, was punctual.


    As she was showering, she realised she could hear memories. The sound of the water and the soothing warmth helped her focus on the voice in her head. A deep but calm voice reciting questions that didn''t connect. Questions she still needed the answers to.


    ''This is our address, 1-5-9-2-6-5-3-5-9. Nona?''; said the voice. She recognised her name, Nona. She mumbled the numbers to herself: ''One, five, nine... what was the rest?''


    ''These are our initials. E.S. and N.P., so you don''t forget where home is.''; the voice continues explaining.


    ''E.S... N.P....''; Nona''s mind reeled with confusion. What did these letters stand for? They were some kind of code! But why would they use them instead of their names?


    ''Wedding ring?''; the voice asked finally. She looked at her hand and took the ring off her finger reading Love of my life. ''Come back home safe. I''m not asking.''; said the voice and repeated all the previous questions and others. What is my middle name? When did we meet? Why don''t we have a cat? A code, whoever was asking her those questions knew she could get lost, with no memories. It was a map that only they knew how to solve.


    As she continues to listen to her memories, Nona begins to feel a renewed sense of determination. Someone was waiting for her and probably looking for her. Over time, Nona''s plan takes shape. She knows that her kidnapper is a creature of habit, and she uses this knowledge to anticipate his movements. But mostly, she tries to decode her memories. If she can remember enough about her past, she might know something useful about her present situation. Perhaps even how to escape. It doesn''t take long before Nona understands that the voices in her head aren''t random thoughts or meaningless words.


    In the meantime, as if made of matter of dreams and nightmares, she hears two voices coming from the living room. She walked slowly to the doorframe, which was missing a door, to peek at the scenery.


    An older, overweight man, who appears to be in his late fifties, sits on the worn-out couch in the dimly lit living room. He is casually dressed, wearing a stained white tank top and old sweatpants. The other, an average-looking man in his mid-thirties, is nervously pacing the room, occasionally glancing out the window as if he''s expecting someone to arrive.


    ''Stop it, Horatio! You''re making me nervous!'' said the old man: ''You remind me of a girl who used to live here. She did that thing too. Pacing like a lunatic. You know, I''ve heard stories about her. She was quite something. Beautiful! Grey hair and petite. Looked book smart and a bit mysterious but crazy.'' His voice trails off into silence for several seconds before continuing with more confidence: ''She had this strange aura around her that made you want to talk to her. It drew people like moths attracted by light. She always seemed so distant, though, like there were things going on behind those eyes.''If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ''Yeah, I''ve heard those rumours too. It''s strange that nobody knows what happened to her. One day, she was here, living with her cat, I think the name was Schr?dinger, and the next day she just...vanished.'' Horatio stops his incessant pacing long enough to look at his companion with concern: ''What are we doing, Mr Who? We should leave now while he didn''t find this place yet.''


    The old man ignored him: ''Hmm, you think she met a dark fate? Maybe she got mixed up in some dangerous business?''


    ''I don''t know, but I''ve heard whispers about some shady character who used to visit her. Late-night meetings, strange packages, codes and codes. I met him once over the phone. He was rude and arrogant. A bloody asshole, if you ask me.'' Horatio sat next to the oldest. As the two men continue their conversation, the atmosphere in the room becomes increasingly tense. The older man''s casual demeanour contrasts with the younger man''s anxious disposition, creating an eerie vibe. Mr Who leaned back on the couch, eyes narrowing as he pondered the possibilities. ''You know, maybe that shady character had something to do with her disappearance. Perhaps she got caught up in a dangerous game, and it eventually caught up to her.''


    The younger man, now visibly anxious, resumed his pacing. ''We really shouldn''t be talking about this. We could be in danger ourselves if we''re discovered here. And who knows what kind of trouble that woman got herself into?'' He nervously wiped his brow with the back of his hand.


    Mr Who let out a hearty chuckle, seemingly amused by Horatio''s fear. ''Calm down, my boy. We''re just having a conversation. Besides, what''s life without a little danger, eh?'' His eyes twinkled with mischief as he continued, ''You know, I''ve heard some stories about her bedroom escapades, too, when I was her landlord. Apparently, she had quite the appetite for...unconventional experiences. Maybe her search for pleasure led her into the arms of the wrong people.''


    Horatio''s curiosity got the better of him, and he stopped pacing to lean in closer. ''What kind of experiences are you talking about?''


    The older man smirked, clearly enjoying the attention. ''Well, let''s just say she wasn''t afraid to explore the darker side of Time. That woman was fearless, always chasing the next thrill, no matter how dangerous or taboo. And they said if she didn''t like the taste, you''d be gone for good.''


    As the conversation grew more lurid, surreal and oneiric, the tension in the room thickened. The two men traded whispers, each trying to outdo the other with increasingly wild speculations about the mysterious woman''s fate. Their imaginations ran wild, painting a vivid picture of a life lived on the edge, teetering between ecstasy and doom.


    In the midst of their gossip, Nona stood in front of them, causing both men to freeze in place. They held their breath, hearts pounding in their chests, as they waited. But their images crumble into the dust of black particles.


    ¡®Fuck, I¡¯m having hallucinations.¡¯; she whispered in the empty living room. ¡®This is it. I fucking lost my mind. I¡¯m falling down the rabbit hole.¡¯

 04:04 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    Nona, trapped in the house that smelled of smoke and alcohol and nothing else to do than being trapped in her own mind, felt compelled to clean every inch of the place as her intrusive thoughts took hold. Her mind raced with the desire for order and control, something she lacked in her current situation. As she scrubbed the floors, she became increasingly lost in her thoughts, trying to piece together fragments of her past. Amidst the turmoil of her mind, Nona saw a tall redhead woman giving her a hand to stand up: ''How are you? Are we waiting for Eske?''


    ''What?'' said Nona, looking at the woman puzzled. She was strangely familiar. She noticed her white blouse was stained with blood and black powder. ''Who are you?''


    ''It''s me, silly, Penny.'' The woman laughed again, but this time there was no humour. It seemed more like an attempt to mask some kind of pain or grief. ''I''m sorry I haven''t been around lately. Things had just got so busy, you know how it is,'' she added when Nona looked confused. ''I died, well, not quiet. I killed myself, went back home, and Bobby shot me right between my eyes. Well, I can''t actually be mad. I would do the same, but how do you explain to someone that we are someone else, that is us. So here we are!''


    ''You are a ghost?''


    Penny shook her head, ''No, maybe a fruit of your imagination..., but I''m more inclined to believe I''m a remnant of a time that you keep with you, probably. So here I am.''


    She paused before adding, ''Am going crazy...'' Nona stopped cleaning, staring at the woman. Tears were running down her cheeks from where she held them in by biting her lip until they turned into little nubs. ''Why are you here now, Penny?'' Nona asked, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and curiosity. ''Is there something you want to tell me or help me with?''


    Penny''s expression turned serious, the blood and black powder stains on her blouse serving as a stark reminder of her tragic fate. ''I think you''re in trouble, Nona. And I want to help you find a way out of this mess. Let''s say I''m the little annoying voice in your brain with the seed of an idea.''


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Nona nodded, willing to accept any form of guidance or assistance she could get. ''What do you suggest I do?''


    ''Do you know what happens if you overfeed a rabbit?''


    ''I guess they get chubby.''


    ''Gastrointestinal stasis, also known as GI stasis, the rabbit''s digestive system slows down or stops entirely, causing a build-up of gas and harmful bacteria. And boom!'' She pointed her finger upwards, making the gesture look violent. ''Guess what we should feed the rabbit?''


    ''I don''t understand. I can''t remember.''


    ''Nona, sweetheart, who is Ava?''


    The question made Nona freeze. She didn''t need to ask herself why the name sounded familiar. It rang bells deep inside her memory, ringing so loud that it drowned out everything else. ''Ava...''


    Penny nodded. ''And you know about the rabbit because you''ve seen it happen yourself, haven''t you?''


    Nona started shaking uncontrollably. A terrible coldness spread through her body. She couldn''t speak. She found it hard even to breathe.


    ''Come on, Nona is not a time for a panic attack. Breathe. We are going to be late for the party.'' Penny reached out towards her.


    As soon as Penny touched Nona, she crumbled to pieces. Bits of hers flew off and scattered across the air. The room grew dark as if a mist of black particles floated in the air.


    ''Oh, shit! What happened?

 04:05 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    7:45 AM: Nona woke up on the empty bed with the sound of the door closing. She stretched her limbs and blinked her eyes open. The sunlight filtered through the newspaper, casting soft shadows across the room. Despite the cosiness of her surroundings, she couldn''t shake the feeling of imprisonment that clung to her every day.


    8:00 AM: After Day left for work, Nona prepared a breakfast of cereal and fruit. She tried to appreciate the small luxuries she had been provided with. Still, it was challenging to feel grateful when she was trapped against her will. And the food tasted like lentils and wood. Her appetite failed entirely. Her mind seemed incapable of focusing long enough to make any sense of what little food remained inside her body.


    9:00 AM: Nona spent her mornings taking care of the apartment, cleaning and organizing. Even though she didn''t have much, she tried to make the space feel as much like home as possible. It helped distract her from how alone she felt in this strange place.


    10:00 AM: Nona exercised in the living room, doing her best to maintain her physical health despite her circumstances. In between sets of push-ups and sit-ups, exercise also distracted her thoughts away from their usual dark paths into despair.


    11:00 AM: She took a shower in the bathroom. Again, no door. She tried to wash away the feeling of confinement that seemed to cling to her skin and the taste of Day''s tongue trailing each piece. But even after scrubbing herself clean, she still carried the sensation around with her wherever she went.


    12:00 PM: Nona prepared herself a light lunch, sitting down at the small table to eat her meal. Still tasted like lentils and wood, and she couldn''t eat it.


    1:00 PM: After cleaning up from lunch, Nona settled down on the couch with a book she had found in the apartment. She tried to lose herself in the story, hoping to escape her reality, if only for a moment. A short while later, she drifted off to sleep, the last thing she remembered before falling asleep being the words ''I love you'' floating through her mind and the memory of peppermint flavour.


    4:00 PM: Nona woke from her nap, feeling restless. She paced around the apartment, trying to think of a way to escape her situation. There must be some other option than simply waiting until he decides to kill her.


    6:00 PM: Nona prepared dinner. Cooking had become a small pleasure in her confined life. She couldn''t explain why the act itself had a strange taste of pennies and rust.


    7:00 PM: She set the table, awaiting Day''s return. Despite her resentment toward him, she had no choice but to maintain a semblance of normalcy in their interactions. If she acted too angry or upset, there would be consequences. He might not hurt her directly, but she knew better than anyone else just how many ways one could manipulate another person without resorting to violence.


    7:46 PM: The sound of Day unlocking the door filled Nona with a mixture of dread and resignation. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for another evening with her captor.


    Day stepped inside. ''Hey!'' he said cheerfully as he walked past Nona. His gaze lingered briefly on her face, lingering longer than necessary. She resisted the urge to look away.


    ''Hi,'' she replied.


    He looked back over his shoulder at her. ''You''re looking good.''


    Nona forced herself to smile. ''Thank you, I''m glad to hear it.''


    Day sat himself down at the dining table. ''What did you do today?''


    ''Not much. Just cleaned up and read my book. What about you? How are things going in the lab?''


    ''Oh, well, same old stuff, really. Nothing exciting. You know me. I''ve got nothing interesting to report.''


    The conversation continued in this vein for a few minutes, neither of them willing to bring up the elephant in the room, Nona''s current state of captivity.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.After dinner, Day helped her with the dishes.


    As they stood side by side at the sink, Nona couldn''t help but feel a fake sense of intimacy with Day, staining their twisted relationship. They washed the dishes in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.


    8:30 PM: After the dishes were done, Day suggested they watch a movie together. Nona reluctantly agreed, knowing that refusing might arouse suspicion or anger. They settled on the couch under a blanket. Day chose a lighthearted comedy to pass the time. He put his arm over her shoulder, pulling her next to him. She allowed it. She had no choice. He leaned forward several times, kissing her neck gently. Nona froze for a moment, unsure what to do. She let him while he unzipped her pants under the blanket. Nona felt a wave of panic sweep through her body, fear and shame warring within her. She didn''t move. She didn''t react.


    10:00 PM: The movie ended, and Day turned off the television. They sat in silence for a moment before Day spoke up, ''Did you enjoy the movie?'' He wasn''t talking about the movie.


    ''It was fine.'' Nona replied, her voice neutral. She didn''t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking she enjoyed anything in her current situation.


    ''Good,'' Day responded, brushing her hair behind her ear. They sat quietly again. This was becoming routine now, and Nona wondered if it was always, thus, whether Day used sex as a method to control her, keeping her docile so he wouldn''t have to exert himself physically. Day seemed to sense her thoughts and let out a small sigh. ''You grew up so beautiful.''


    Nona couldn''t help but scoff at his words. But she said nothing.


    He looked at her, pain flickering in his eyes. ''You should have stayed with me. I would have taken care of you, and you would have been protected. Loved.''


    Nona stared back at him, unmoving.


    ''I''m sorry,'' he whispered, reaching out to touch her cheek. Nona didn''t flinch, didn''t move. ''I''m sorry I failed you.''


    Nona felt tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. She wanted to tell him she never needed protecting, that she had made her own choices. That she was stronger than he thought. Instead, all she could manage was a weak whisper, ''I don''t believe you.''


    Day caressed her lips with his thumb. ''I''ll show you.'' he whispered. ''And one day, I know you will love me again.''


    They sat in silence for a while longer before Day stood up, announcing that it was time for bed. Nona reluctantly followed him, knowing that she had no other choice.


    As she lay in bed that night, her thoughts raced through the day''s events, from the taste of wood and lentils to the feeling of Day''s tongue on her skin. She closed her eyes, praying that sleep would come quickly and bring with it a temporary escape from her nightmare. But no, He had to lay over her, touching and licking everywhere he shouldn''t. He forced his way inside her body, pulling her hair and forcing her to stare at his face while he moaned her name, an empty promise of love. Nona didn''t say a word, didn''t move. Eventually, he finished and rolled to the side, still pulling her next to him. Still forcing his tongue in her mouth. ''Goodnight, sweetheart.'' and it finally stopped.


    2:00 AM: Nona woke up shivering. She went to the bathroom and tried to wash away the feeling of confinement that seemed to cling to her skin and the taste of Day''s tongue trailing each piece. Once she turned off the faucet, a strange memory of peppermint was on her lips. Nona finally cried. In the burst of despair, she realized Day was a very heavy sleeper.


    7:45 AM: Nona woke up on the empty bed with the sound of the door closing. She stretched her limbs and blinked her eyes open. The sunlight filtered through the newspaper, casting soft shadows across the room. Despite the cosiness of her surroundings, she couldn''t shake the feeling of imprisonment that clung to her every day.

 04:06 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    Nona was chopping vegetables for her lunch. Distracted, she didn''t notice a woman suddenly appearing behind her. A tall, wiry woman of forty with hard brown eyes and thinning dark hair that she wore in a severe bun behind her head sat on the kitchen table eating soup.


    Nona continued cutting up carrots into long strips until she heard a voice behind her: ''I never thanked you for the soup you made for me.'' She turned to look at the other woman who had just finished speaking and smiled politely before continuing to slice the carrot as if nothing unusual had happened. The older woman watched Nona''s hands deftly chop away, then stood from her chair. ''Do you remember me?''


    ''No.''


    ''Of course, you don''t,'' said the woman. ''But I do. You saved me. At least part of me.'' Her smile faded slightly, but only briefly. It returned almost immediately. ''Don''t you want to know my name?'' asked the woman.


    ''It doesn''t matter,'' replied Nona.


    The woman shrugged and walked over to where Nona still chopped vegetables. She put down her bowl, took the knife out of Nona''s hand, and placed it back into its holder beside the sink. ''Ask my name! Please.''


    Feeling a strange mix of fear and curiosity, Nona finally gave in. ''Alright, what''s your name?''


    ''My name is Ava.'' the woman replied, her voice soft and mysterious. ''Ava Garcia and I''m not just a hallucination, or a coping mechanism to your present trauma or a trick of your mind but a piece of Time you saved within you. A piece of your past that has been locked away, hidden deep within your subconscious. You saved me once, and now I''m here to return the favour.''


    Nona''s confusion only grew. ''What are you talking about? What favour?''


    ''You made a very cosy soup, just like my grandma used to cook.'' Ava smiled warmly, recalling the memory. ''That soup brought me warmth and comfort in a time of darkness. At a time, the world was ending, and it forged a connection between us. Now, I''m here to help you through your own difficult times. Eske would like me to take care of you as you took care of us.''


    Nona frowned, trying to understand the situation. ''I don''t remember any of this. How can you be a part of my past?''


    ''Time is a tricky thing, Nona. It''s possible that our meeting hasn''t happened yet or already has. Your mind has its own timeline,'' Ava explained. ''The question is, what''s the rabbit''s favourite soup?''


    Nona stared blankly at her. ''Ava...what do you mean by the rabbit?''


    ''There''s an old story. About a girl who could taste time, and when she didn''t like the flavour, she would set the dish aside. So there was a rumour she would knock on people''s doors, giving away cans of soup. Why did she do that?''


    ''Why?'' Nona repeated, dumbfounded. ''I...I don''t know why.''


    ''None of them looked at the girl, nor did they thank her. Just like me, I never thanked you, and I''m sorry.'' Ava shook her head sadly.


    ''This conversation isn''t helping me at all. How is making soup going to help me get out of here?'' Nona asked.


    ''What is the rabbit''s favourite soup?'' Ava asked again.


    Nona was furious and slammed her hands over the sink''s edge. ''How am I supposed to know?!'' she shouted angrily. ''I don''t fucking care what he likes or dislikes! I want him fucking dead for good! I want him to disappear. To be gone! He is a fucking cancer to my existence! I want him to have never existed! I don''t want to feed him ever again!''


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Ava laughed gently. ''You are closer.''


    Nona looked at Ava''s image, crumbling into black dust floating against the dim light of the kitchen. She mumbled to herself: ''Feed him again. Feed him again... feed him what?''


    She grabbed hold of the edge of the sink and pulled herself upright. Nona''s face grew pale as the realization hit her. ''The rabbit... it''s not a real rabbit, is it?'' she whispered, her voice trembling.


    Ava''s fading image smiled enigmatically. Her mind raced, and she began to understand the hidden meaning behind Ava''s cryptic words. The rabbit was a metaphor, a symbol of her captor, the man who held her prisoner. To break free, she needed to face him, to feed him. And remembering Penny''s words: ''What happens to a rabbit that is overfed?''


    As Ava''s form disappeared completely, Nona took a deep breath and resumed preparing her meal.


    The atmosphere was filled with tension as she hurriedly tried to finish her simple dish. The air was heavy with the scent of herbs and spices, and the sound of her knife chopping echoed throughout the room. Nona was focused on her task, but Ava''s words echoed in her mind.


    Her hands moved quickly and skillfully over the cutting board. In a split second, everything changed.


    Her concentration wavered for just a moment, and the knife slipped from the carrot she was dicing. The razor-sharp blade sliced through the air and found its new target in a horrifying instant. Nona''s own finger.


    Blood spurted out as the knife cleanly severed her finger just above the knuckle. The pain was immediate and intense, a burning sensation that shot up her arm like lightning. Nona''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. She stared at her hand, watching as the blood poured from the wound, pooling on the cutting board and dripping onto the floor. Her severed finger lay on the cutting board, still surrounded by the diced carrot, now stained red with her blood. The room was filled with a sudden, deafening silence, broken only by the sound of Nona''s panicked breathing and her heartbeat pounding in her ears.


    Nona, stunned by the sight of her severed finger, felt a strange tingling sensation in her wounded hand. She looked down, almost expecting the pain to worsen, but instead, she witnessed something extraordinary unfolding before her eyes. The blood flow from the wound seemed to slow down, and the torn flesh began to crawl and knit itself back together. The raw, exposed bone started to regenerate, the pale white substance emerging from the wound and growing outward. Muscles, tendons, and nerves followed suit, weaving themselves back into place like a masterful tapestry of human anatomy mixed with a trail of black particles. The sensation in Nona''s hand was a bizarre mixture of pain and relief as if her body was healing itself at an unprecedented rate. As the finger grew, the tingling intensified, sending shivers up her spine. The skin started to form next, stretching over the newly regenerated tissue like a protective glove enveloping her reborn finger.


    Finally, the process completed itself, and Nona stared at her fully restored finger in awe. The skin was unblemished, the nail pristine, and she could flex and bend the finger as if it had never been severed in the first place. Nona looked at her chopped finger over the cupboard and wondered what she could do with it.

 04:07 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    Eske stood in the HQ control room with his heart heavy with desperation. The room was filled with an eerie darkness, pierced only by the harsh glow of countless monitors, each displaying a different person''s profile. Eske''s eyes darted between the screens, his hope diminishing with each passing second. The faces of billions of people from countless timelines flickered before him. Still, the one face he sought, Nona, remained elusive. He had searched every timeline for her, and she still eluded them all. It seemed impossible that such a woman could be lost for so long amongst millions upon millions of other people. Yet, somehow, it happened again and again but never so long. Four hours had passed, and still no sign of her.


    The chamber seemed to stretch on forever, a nightmarish labyrinth of information and despair. As Eske delved deeper into the room, the monitors began to display maps from different timelines, each one more convoluted and incomprehensible than the last. The sheer volume of information threatened to overwhelm him. Still, he refused to give in to the crushing weight of hopelessness. There must have been something here! Somewhere out there lay the key to finding Nona. His mind raced as he tried desperately to find any scrap of useful data amidst the chaos of conflicting reports and unreliable sources.


    His footsteps echoed through the grim, silent space, the only sound amidst the cacophony of images and data. Sweat dripped from his brow as he searched relentlessly, his determination unwavering. Eske''s heart ached with a desperate yearning for Nona, his love for her driving him forward, even as the odds seemed insurmountable. Every moment without her felt like an eternity, dragging slowly by until at last.


    Tears of frustration and anguish blurred his vision, the faces and maps on the screens becoming an indecipherable sea of light and darkness. Eske gritted his teeth, his resolve hardening. He would search for eternity if it meant finding Nona, and no amount of despair or overwhelming odds would stand in his way.


    Someone turned the light in the control room. ''Mr Schrodinger, would you like some tea?'' asked Marie Sue.


    ''What time is it?'' he replied.


    Marie Sue looked confused. She checked the clock above the door. ''It''s almost three in the morning.''


    ''Shouldn''t you be at home resting?'' said Eske, struggling to keep up with the conversation.


    She smiled apologetically. ''I couldn''t sleep. With what happened to poor Penny, Robert in jail, and Nona missing. I couldn''t be just at home doing anything.''


    He nodded.


    ''How can I help Mr Schrodinger?''


    Eske sighed. ''I don''t know. I''m going through all the maps we have. I''m switching the radio frequency every five minutes, and still nothing. Vihann is checking the rack server to see if she is downloading. So far, we are good.''


    Marie Sue walked over to the screen showing several maps: ''Maybe I can start to call police stations and hospitals.''


    ''That is a very long list of calls.''


    ''A good reason to start.'' she said while sitting at her desk. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as they opened dozens of files with numbers.


    ''Thank you, Marie Sue.''


    ''Well, each one of us has to do our part.''


    Eske''s appreciation for Marie Sue''s dedication was evident as he watched her work tirelessly, just as he had been doing for hours. The control room felt heavy with the urgency and determination that filled the air, a collective effort to find Nona against all odds. Together, they navigated the seemingly endless sea of information, their spirits bound by a shared mission. As the hours passed, the control room would be filled with personnel starting their shift.


    With each call Marie Sue made, the tension in the room grew. Eske continued combing the maps and monitoring the radio frequencies while Vihann worked diligently on the rack server. Time seemed to lose its meaning as the hours blended together, each passing moment intensifying the desperation they all felt.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.Despite the overwhelming odds, they continued to push forward, refusing to accept defeat. Eske''s love for Nona and the support from his friends and colleagues fueled his determination to find her, no matter how long it took or how many obstacles they faced.


    The control room buzzed with activity, the steady hum of machines punctuating the occasional phone conversation and keyboard clicks. It was a testament to the human spirit, as they all worked together in a race against time to find their lost friend and loved one.


    They were joined by others throughout the day. Everyone did their best to contribute however they could. The task ahead was daunting, and the stakes too high to leave anything undone.


    Even as the night wore on and exhaustion began to set in, Eske and his team remained steadfast in their search. They refused to give up hope, bolstered by their unwavering commitment to one another and the knowledge that they would stop at nothing to bring Nona home. The grim atmosphere in the control room did little to dampen their spirits as they continued to press on, fueled by the power of friendship, love, and an unbreakable bond.


    ''Maybe we are doing this wrong.'' said Marie Sue after making the fifty-one hundredth call.


    Eske shook his head. ''No. We need to stay focused.''


    Vihann put down his tablet and leaned back in his chair. ''She is right. We are looking for a needle in the haze.''


    Eske frowned. ''We will not give up!''


    ''No, we are not. We just need to think outside the box.''


    Eske sat up straight. ''Outside the box? I''m listening.''


    Vihann grinned. ''Let me explain... what is our worst-case scenario. What is the worse possible outcome.''


    ''She doesn''t remember. She has no way to come back.'' answered Marie Sue.


    ''I say it would if she was downloading, Boss.'' said Vhiann. ¡®But she isn¡¯t so that we can scratch that one out.¡¯


    ''She is trapped. She can''t get out. She doesn''t remember. And there are no means for us to jump to her. Downloading wouldn''t be a problem. That is a way out for sure. Now...'' Eske stopped his thought and went to the panel control and typed.


    Millions of profiles of the same person showed on the screen. Delbert Day Whiterabbit, T-DNA 99.8%.


    ''This is my worse nightmare.'' said Eske.


    ''He wouldn''t dare, would he, Boss?'' said Vihann.


    Eske looked at the screen. ''This creep would do anything.''


    ''But he is everywhere. How do we know which version is the right one?'' asked Marie Sue.


    ''Well, 2% of the timelines where he is not are subtracted. Then we can eliminate the ones under 19. He mostly dies at that age. The versions above 59 can be eliminated too. He doesn''t like to be old. So we are reduced around his 20s and 30s. And let''s check.'' Eske said and clicked on the button.


    Most profiles disappeared, and screens turned off and on.


    ''How is it possible for someone to have such a high temporal footprint?


    Vihann turned to Marie Sue and, in a stern tone, explained: ''One of his versions ate Nona when she was a child. She had a device that would cut her flesh constantly to be consumed. And we believe that once he dies, he just jumps into a version of himself, and that is how he was able to keep a full T-DNA.''


    Marie Sue shuddered.


    ''So he might be somewhere close,'' said Eske.


    ''Not necessarily.'' said Vihann.


    ''Why?''


    ''Because he might be alive in a world where he didn''t die.''

 04:08 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    And we believe that once he dies, he just jumps into a version of himself, and that is how he was able to keep a full T-DNA.,'' explained Eske.


    Marie Sue shuddered.


    ''So he might be somewhere close,'' said Eske.


    ''Not necessarily.'' said Vihann.


    ''Why?'' asked Marie Sue.


    ''Because he might be alive in a world where he didn''t die.'' said Vihann.


    Eske, feeling the need to explain the situation to his team better, grabbed a whiteboard and markers from the corner of the control room as he began to draw a series of intersecting lines representing the various timelines they had explored over their lives while building their own timeline, Earth 3.14. Vihann and Marie Sue gathered around, watching intently.


    With a steady hand and a focused gaze, Eske meticulously marked the points of divergence, moments where events had shifted drastically and sent each timeline on a different path. As he connected the lines, a complex web of possibilities emerged, a visual representation of the intricate and often baffling nature of their quest. He then began to detail each key event in the story, starting with Nona''s disappearance and working his way through the various discoveries and setbacks they had encountered. As he drew, his voice was tinged with a mix of determination and frustration, conveying the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which they needed to find her.


    ''.604241965 and .502884197 were the last two timelines Nona downloaded. Day was on both timelines at the same time, so an obvious glitch. For some reason, Nona insisted that time tasted like an overcooked steak, and also, she couldn''t remember anything. Not even me or Ava.''


    ''And she thought you were a cat.'' added Vhiann.


    ''I don''t see how that could be related.'' continued Eske. ''However, seven years ago, she said time tasted like pennies and rust, and ended up landing on Skylab-84, that at the time was a rusty junk in space.''


    ''Flavours are related? I mean, they are related to an event but not on their present timeline?'' asked Marie Sue. ''Is she predicting future events?''


    Vihann nodded his head. ''Pretty much, but what we know is Nona''s head has its own timeline. It could be cycling information that didn''t happen yet. Hence the memories of flavours that she didn''t actually already taste. However, this is a lot of data, Boss, and I don''t see how we can piece it all together.''


    ''Alice.'' said Eske. ''Alice''s timeline, which is not on the record, since it was previous to ours, that timeline had Day. He died at 19. And the flavour tasted like wet paper. Somehow I feel like this is important, but I can''t put my finger on it. Alice consumed... Nona. And it altered her T-DNA, and it went up as it went down when she over consumed it.''


    Vihann and Marie Sue listened intently, their eyes glued to the whiteboard as they tried to absorb the wealth of information being presented to them. Eske''s explained: ''And we have Ava Garcia, her T-DNA changed after... Nona made her soup.''


    The three stared blankly at the board, waiting patiently while Eske struggled to recall every detail about the incident. Finally, when he ran out of steam, Marie Sue spoke first. ''You think Nona did something to change Ava and Alice''s T-DNA?''


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.''The same way she did for Day. I feel I have forgotten something. Something that happened with her, and I can''t remember.'' Eske nodded slowly to himself, his thoughts racing as he tried to piece together the fragments of information that might hold the key to their current predicament. ''Nona has some sort of latent ability that allows her to manipulate T-DNA in others.'' he mused, tracing his fingers along the lines of the whiteboard.


    Marie Sue''s eyes widened in realization. ''You mentioned that Nona insisted time tasted like overcooked steak when she landed on those two timelines. And earlier, when time tasted like pennies and rust, she ended up on Skylab-84. What if those flavours she mentioned aren''t random? What if they''re actually clues to help us understand her T-DNA manipulation abilities? And what if she has previously tasted where she is now.''


    Vihann looked thoughtful as he considered Marie Sue''s words. ''That could be a possibility. If we can find a pattern or correlation between these flavours and the events that took place, we might be able to uncover the key to understanding Nona''s location, or at least have it narrowed down.''


    Eske''s eyes lit up with determination. ''We need to go back through everything we know about Nona''s past experiences and interactions, as well as any similar cases we''ve encountered. If we can find a common thread between the flavours she mentioned and the T-DNA changes, we''ll be one step closer.''


    The trio worked tirelessly, scouring through records, notes, and old conversations, looking for any hint of a connection. As the hours ticked by, their efforts began to bear fruit. They discovered that each time Nona mentioned a specific flavour, it correlated with a significant event that led to a change in someone''s T-DNA.


    The realization struck them like a bolt of lightning: Nona''s T-DNA manipulation abilities were not only real, but they were also the key to finding her. Now, armed with this new knowledge, they had renewed hope in their search. The answers they sought were right in front of them, hidden in the flavours that had puzzled them for so long. And with each new discovery, they drew closer to finally bringing Nona home. Finally, Eske asked: ''Can someone contact Nancy Santos, please?''


    ''Who''s that?'' asked Marie Sue, puzzled.


    ''Our real estate. Check if she is still alive.''


    Eske took a cigarette from the pack and lit it, taking a deep drag as he leaned against the whiteboard. A contemplative expression spread across his face as he began to wonder if he had subconsciously planned the whole thing.


    ''What do you mean?'' Marie Sue inquired, noticing the change in Eske''s demeanour.


    Eske exhaled a cloud of smoke before replying, ''I''m just thinking... what if I have somehow guided us to this point without none of even realizing it? What if I had to build a plan all along for something bigger, and we''re simply playing our parts in it?"


    Vihann raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the idea. ''You told me I was recruited before our timeline even existed. And I still haven''t recruited you.''


    ''Alice''s timeline still exists. A timeline where he died and could just be back.''

 04:09 - Falling down the rabbit hole

    Eske exhaled a cloud of smoke before replying, ''I''m just thinking... what if I have somehow guided us to this point without none of even realizing it? What if I had to build a plan all along for something bigger, and we''re simply playing our parts in it?''


    Vihann raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the idea. ''You told me, Boss, I was recruited before our timeline even existed. And I still haven''t recruited you.''


    ''Alice''s timeline still exists. We never had any reason to download it. A timeline where he died at 19 and could just jump back.''


    As they continued to discuss the possibility, Marie Sue found Nancy Santo''s contact information and handed it to Eske.


    He dialled the number, and after a few rings, Nancy picked up. ''Hello?'' she asked.


    ''Nancy.'' said Eske, his voice calm as always despite the circumstances. ''It''s me.''


    ''Mr. Schrodinger, it''s been a while.'' she said, her voice steady and professional. She sounded older than when last they spoke.


    ''Nancy, I need to know if you''re still on the same timeline we met, and I have a few questions about my apartment that WTL purchased.'' Eske replied, trying to keep his voice calm despite the gravity of the situation.


    After another moment of silence, Nancy answered with a sigh. ''Yes, Mr Schrodinger. This is the exact timeline from which we closed our deal. I have been monitoring the transactions related to your apartment closely, as per your instructions. At this moment, the apartment is rented to a Mr Whiterabbit.''


    Eske''s heart raced as he listened to Nancy''s words, realizing the implications of her statement. ''What further instructions did I give you?''


    ''Yes, Mr Schrodinger.'' Nancy confirmed. ''As you requested, I removed every single door from the apartment. It was a rather unusual request, but I ensured it was done. I''m currently waiting for further instructions.''


    Eske''s mind raced, trying to comprehend the information Nancy had just shared. He turned to Marie Sue and Vihann, who were watching him intently, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. ''Thank you, Nancy. I''ll be in touch with you.'' Eske said, hanging up the call. He shared the details of the conversation with Marie Sue and Vihann, who were both equally surprised by the revelation.


    ''So, this Mr Whiterabbit, Day, has rented the apartment, and there are no doors in it.'' Marie Sue said, trying to process the information. "And you''ve been planning all of this, even though it didn''t happen yet?''


    ''No doors means he can''t jump into another timeline.'' Eske explained, looking at Marie Sue and Vihann with a smile. ''But Nona can jump at any time.''


    Marie Sue nodded slowly, taking in the new information. ''She doesn''t need doors. She is not trapped. He is.''This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Vihann leaned back in his chair, his expression a mixture of admiration and disbelief. ''So, you''ve not only trapped Day, but you''ve also made sure that Nona can still move freely through time. This is an incredibly intricate plan.''


    Eske took another drag from his cigarette, the smoke swirling around him as he exhaled. ''It seems that way. I don''t know how I did it or how I knew what to do, but it''s clear that I''ve been manipulating events across multiple timelines to bring us to this point. Or at least, to bring me to this point.''


    Marie Sue looked confused. She stared at the floor, deep in thought. ''If Nona can still jump through time, we need to figure out where she is and when she''ll be there. Otherwise, we''ll be looking for her forever.'' Eske nodded in agreement. His eyes focused on the whiteboard with its complex web of timelines and events. ''I think I know where she is.''


    Eske jumped back where everything started. At a time, he fell down the rabbit hole and came back with all the answers he was looking for.


    The cool morning air was invigorating as he started his stroll towards the nearby lake. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the quiet streets as he made his way through the neighbourhood he knew too well.


    As he approached the lake, he could see the ducks swimming peacefully in the calm waters. The sight filled him with a sense of peace, and he slowed down his pace to take in the beauty of his surroundings. The sun was now fully up, and its rays danced across the water, creating a shimmering effect. And as he saw the ducks swimming around the lack he recalled what once Nona told him:


    ''Couple of years ago, when I lived one block away, over there.''; she said, pointing to a street opposite from where they stay now. ''I used to come here before and after work. I didn''t like to go home.''


    Nona''s mind was on its own timeline, and he missed all the hints and clues she had given him over the years they had been together.


    Eske turned his head to where Nona pointed back then. Where she said she lived at the time and started to walk. He knew these streets better than the palm of his hand.


    Standing by the lake, the peaceful scene around him contrasted sharply with the turmoil brewing inside Eske. His heart pounded as he prepared to take action. Ducks paddled serenely in the water, unaware of the darkness that enveloped the man nearby.


    Reaching down to his holster, Eske''s fingers wrapped around the grip of his Colt .45 revolver, the cool steel sending a shiver down his spine. He pulled the weapon out and cradled it in his hands, admiring the craftsmanship and deadly potential it held.


    He flipped open the cylinder, revealing the empty chambers, hungry for ammunition. One by one, he fed the gun its diet of .45 calibre bullets, the metallic clicks ringing out with each round that slid into place. The revolver''s chambers were now full. Eske snapped the cylinder closed with a flick of his wrist, feeling the weight of the gun and the power it possessed.


    Taking a deep breath, he gripped the Colt .45 firmly, his finger resting lightly on the trigger. With every fibre of his being, he knew he was ready to face whatever lay ahead. The serene beauty of the lake now masked by the shadows of his intentions, Eske steeled himself for the violent storm that was about to unfold.


    Just as Eske was fully prepared to proceed, his attention was suddenly yanked away by a voice that cut through the air: ¡®We need to talk.¡¯


    He looked up to find a boy standing before him, his striking grey hair and yellow-golden eyes seeming to pierce through Eske''s very soul. The boy''s gaze was unflinching as he stared at the gun in Eske''s hands, his eyes betraying a wisdom that belied his youthful appearance.


    Eske''s grip on the Colt .45 tightened, and his finger twitched on the trigger. He felt a combination of annoyance and curiosity as he studied the boy, his mind racing with questions about this unexpected intruder. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ he growled, his voice low and threatening.

 04:10- Falling down the rabbit hole

    Just as Eske was fully prepared to proceed, his attention was suddenly yanked away by a voice that cut through the air: ¡®We need to talk.¡¯


    He looked up to find a boy standing before him, his striking grey hair and yellow-golden eyes seeming to pierce through Eske''s very soul. The boy''s gaze was unflinching as he stared at the gun in Eske''s hands, his eyes betraying a wisdom that belied his youthful appearance.


    Eske''s grip on the Colt .45 tightened, and his finger twitched on the trigger. He felt a combination of annoyance and curiosity as he studied the boy, his mind racing with questions about this unexpected intruder. ''Who are you?'' he growled, his voice low and threatening.


    With his gun still trained on the boy, Eske''s voice shook as he demanded, ''Who are you? Tell me now!''


    Tears welled up in the boy''s eyes as he choked out his response, his voice trembling with emotion. ''My name is Eve. I''m your son. I''m the reason the whole cosmos is going to collapse. I shouldn''t exist... I shouldn''t be born.'' His voice broke as he continued, ''Killing me now won''t make a difference, but you can stop me from being born and save the universe from the destruction I''ll cause.''


    Eske lowered his gun. ''What the fuck are you talking about.''


    ''I killed mum. I killed mum as soon as I was born. I downloaded our time, and all the timelines kept saved on the server data centre. Everything. I can''t control myself. I''m not strong like mum. I''m...''


    ''You''re a time-space vortex, just like Nona.''


    Eve''s eyes widened in surprise as Eske made the connection. ''Yes.'' he whispered, his voice strained. ''I''m a time-space vortex, like Mum. But I''m not as strong as she was. I can''t control my power, and it''s tearing the universe apart. I''ve seen it, Dad. It''s horrifying.''


    Eske stared at his son, a mix of horror and disbelief washing over him. His hands trembled as he tried to make sense of the nightmare unfolding before him. ''So, what do you expect me to do? To kill you right now? On the spot?''


    Eve''s expression was a mix of determination and despair. ''You have to change the past, please. You have to ensure that I''m never born. It''s the only way to save the universe from the destruction I''ll cause. Save Ava. She doesn''t deserve what I''m doing to her!''


    The weight of the decision bore down on Eske, crushing him with its enormity. His own son was asking him to erase his existence to save the cosmos. The gun in his hand felt heavier than ever, a symbol of the unbearable choice he faced.


    His mind racing, Eske tried to think of any other way to fix the situation. Still, the desperate pleading in Eve''s eyes haunted him. He knew that whatever path he chose, he would be forever changed. As he grappled with the decision, the fate of the universe hung in the balance, the future uncertain and terrifying. ''Your mum... she is pregnant right now.''


    ''She shouldn''t be. She can''t. I can''t...''


    Eske gritted his teeth, feeling the world''s weight on his shoulders. His heart ached for the son standing before him, the child he had yet to meet, and the woman he loved. He knew that he had to make a choice, and he had to make it quickly.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.''I... I''ll do it.'' Eske whispered, his voice choked with emotion. ''I''ll find a way to change the past, to ensure you''re never born. But I need to know how. How can I do this?''


    ''Have you opened my room?''


    ''Not yet. I wanted to open it with Nona and Ava. Why?''


    ''You''ll find all the answers and tools inside that you''ll need. Doesn''t need any instructions. You both will understand. Everything is there.'' the boy said, cleaning his tears with a sleeve. ''I''m not really here, you know. At this moment, I''m in skylab-84 with Ava. She is doing everything she can to avoid the end of everything. I don''t want this for her. I''m so sorry.''


    Eske stared at the boy, his heart heavy with a mixture of love, sorrow, and determination. He knew that the task ahead of him would be fraught with pain and grief, but he couldn''t turn away from it. He had to save his family and the universe from the devastation that Eve''s existence would bring. He had to try.


    ''Thank you.'' Eske murmured, his voice barely audible. ''I promise you, I''ll do everything in my power to change the past and prevent this future from coming to pass. I won''t let you or Ava suffer any longer.''


    Eve managed a small, sad smile. ''I know you will. Remember, no matter what happens, you and Mum are the strongest people I''ve ever known. I''m proud to have been your son, even if only for a brief moment in time.'' the boy cried, and in the middle of his tears, he asked: ''Can I hug you?''


    Eske hesitated for a moment, his heart aching with the knowledge that this might be the only time he would ever hold his son. But then, he nodded, his eyes filled with tears of his own. ¡®Yes, of course.¡¯


    Eve stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Eske.


    As they embraced, Eske could feel the warmth and love he had for this child he''d never truly known.


    Eve clung to him tightly, sobbing into his chest. "Thank you, Dad," he whispered between choked sobs. ¡®I love you.¡¯


    ¡¯I love you too, son. I love you too.¡¯ Eske replied, his voice thick with emotion. He held Eve for a moment longer, cherishing the connection they shared. It was a moment he knew he would carry with him for the rest of his life, a memory both precious and bittersweet.


    Eske made a silent promise to Eve and to himself. He would do everything in his power to change the past, to protect the ones he loved, and to save the universe from the destruction that his son''s existence would cause. He would carry the weight of this decision with him for the rest of his life, but he was determined to make it right.


    After a few moments, Eske gently released his son and took a step back. ¡®I''ll do this, Eve. I promise.¡¯


    Eve nodded, his eyes shining with gratitude and sorrow. ¡®I know you will, Dad.¡¯ With a final, lingering look, he vanished into thin dust of black particles following the way of the apartment that had no doors, leaving Eske to face the daunting task that lay ahead.

 04:11- Falling down the rabbit hole

    The sun cast long shadows as Eske stood in front of a dilapidated brick building. It was nestled between two larger structures, looking out of place and almost forgotten. The exterior paint was peeling, and the windows were grimy, a testament to years of neglect.


    With a deep breath, Eske entered the building. The stale, musty smell of dampness and decay filled the narrow hallway, and the flickering fluorescent light above him buzzed incessantly. He could hear muffled sounds from behind the doors he passed, the low rumble of a television, a baby''s cry, and a couple''s heated argument.


    Climbing the creaky stairs to the second floor, Eske''s heart pounded in his chest. The weight of his decision hung heavily upon him, and he knew that every step brought him closer to the point of no return. He tried to focus on the task at hand, pushing aside the image of Eve''s tearful face.


    Reaching the second floor, he walked along the dimly lit corridor, his footsteps echoing off the cracked and stained walls. The air was thick with the smell of cigarette smoke and the distant aroma of something burning.


    Finally, he arrived at the door of the apartment. His apartment that he bought from each timeline he once was. It was just as rundown as the rest of the building, with a chipped and faded number plaque hanging crookedly above the peephole. Eske hesitated for a moment, his hand gripping the keys tightly. He knew that there was no going back once he opened this door.


    Gathering his courage, he inserted the key into the lock and turned it with a loud, metallic click. Eske turned the key twice. It was always locked twice. The door creaked open, revealing a small, cluttered apartment. Dust motes danced in the faint light filtering through the grimy windows, and the air was stagnant, heavy with the scent of old memories and secrets but mostly a smell of blood, flesh and soup.


    As Eske stepped over the threshold, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He was entering a place that held the key to changing the past, altering the course of history, and potentially saving the universe. With each step he took, he steeled himself for the challenges ahead, determined to set things right and protect the ones he loved from the devastating consequences of his actions. ''Nona?''


    The dimly lit kitchen was a grotesque display of carnage and despair. The tiles were now splattered with blood, a stark contrast to the gruesome scene that lay before Day. He was handcuffed to a wooden chair, his wrists chafed and raw from futile attempts at escape. The two bloody stumps where his legs once were throbbed with agony, a constant reminder of the nightmare he now found himself in.


    Nona, her face twisted into a sinister grin, stood by the stove, stirring a pot of thick, steaming soup. The sickly sweet smell of the concoction wafted through the air, mingling with the overpowering stench of blood and fear. She hummed a haunting melody, her movements unnervingly graceful as she ladled the soup into a bowl. ''Hi, love of my life.''


    Across the counter, Eske witnessed the macabre sight of severed legs lying discarded, a chilling testament to the horrors that had unfolded in the room. Pots and pans were filled to the brim with the repulsive soup, the liquid evidence of Nona''s twisted culinary endeavours.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.Day''s breath came in ragged gasps as he fought to keep his panic at bay. Every nerve in his body screamed in pain, and his mind was a blur of torment and confusion. He struggled against the handcuffs that bound him, but the cold, unyielding metal only dug deeper into his flesh, mocking his efforts.


    ''Do you need help?''; asked Eske.


    ''No. I got this.'' With a twisted smile, Nona approached Day, the bowl of soup in her hands. ''Open wide.'' she cooed menacingly, her voice dripping with malice. ''You must be starving.''


    She forced the spoon between his clenched teeth, the hot liquid searing his tongue and throat. Day gagged and choked, tears streaming down his face as he fought the urge to vomit. In the nightmarish kitchen, Nona''s laughter echoed through the air, a chilling soundtrack to Day''s torment. And as he suffered, bound and helpless, the line between reality and nightmare blurred, leaving him to wonder if he would ever escape the horror he found himself in.


    ''What are we doing, love?'' asked Eske.


    ''Overfeeding the rabbit!''


    Eske sat beside her, a bit worried, with her eyes wide open. It was clear she hadn''t taken her meds: ''Please explain to me. Are you feeding his legs to himself? Is that it?'' he asked, brushing her hair behind her hair.


    ''He ate me!'' she almost shouted.


    ''I know he did. And he deserves everything that might cross your mind. I''m just trying to understand the process, that''s all.''


    ''When a rabbit overfeeds, it does boom!''


    ''Oh, wow, that is actually smart. Do you want to lower his temporal footprint? Am I right?''


    Nona nodded her head: ''I want him gone. Forever. I am going to have a baby. Our baby, I can''t be constantly scared that he finds me!''


    Eske understood Nona''s concerns. Day was a dangerous man, and his obsession with Nona caused them both much pain and suffering. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, ''We''ll take care of him, love. You don''t have to be afraid anymore. We''ll make sure he never bothers us again.''


    Nona''s eyes sparkled as she looked up at Eske. ''Can you ask HQ how much he has?''


    Eske smiled, he knew that Nona had been struggling with Day''s harassment for far too long, and he was determined to put an end to it once and for all. ''Let me call Vhiann.'' he said. Eske nodded and made his way out of the kitchen, leaving Nona to carry out her gruesome task on keeping feeding Day. As he walked down the hallway, he could still hear Day''s screams echoing through the walls. He felt a certain guilty pleasure listening to the sounds.


    After today Day will never hurt Nona again. He pulled out his phone and dialled Vihann''s number. After a few rings, a gruff voice answered. ''Yeah?''


    ''Hey, it''s me. I need your help with something.''


    ''Anything for you, Boss. What do you need?''


    ''Check Delbert Day Whiterabbit T-DNA.''

 04:12- Falling down the rabbit hole

    ''Let me call Vhiann.'' he said. Eske nodded and made his way out of the kitchen, leaving Nona to carry out her gruesome task of keeping feeding Day. As he walked down the hallway, he could still hear Day''s screams echoing through the walls. He felt a certain guilty pleasure listening to the sounds.


    After today Day will never hurt Nona again. He pulled out his phone and dialled Vihann''s number. After a few rings, a gruff voice answered. ''Yeah?''


    ''Hey, it''s me. I need your help with something.''


    ''Anything for you, Boss. What do you need?''


    ''Check Delbert Day Whiterabbit T-DNA.''


    Vihann grunted in response. ''You got it, Boss. Give me a few minutes.'' Eske could hear the sound of typing in the background as Vihann accessed the database. ''Alright, I got the info. Delbert Day Whiterabbit has a temporal footprint of 0.3. He''s a low-level player, not much of a threat¡­ anymore. What did you guys do?''


    Eske nodded to himself, relieved that Day wasn''t as much of a danger as he had feared. ¡®Thanks, Vihann. I appreciate it.''


    ''No problem, Boss. Anything else?''


    ''No, that''s all for now.''


    He returned to Nona, kissing the top of her head: ''You did it. He''s almost down to zero. What''s the plan?''


    ''He has no more versions of himself?''


    ''0.3% is nothing. You can kill him right now, and Delbert Day Whiterabbit is gone.''


    Nona''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she heard the news. ''Good. I don''t want him to exist anymore.'' She stood up from her chair and approached Day, who was now slumped over in the chair, unconscious from the pain and trauma. She picked up a large kitchen knife from the counter and walked towards him, her movements deliberate and calculated.


    ''Wait,'' said Eske, grabbing her arm. ''Are you sure you want to do it like this? I have my gun, baby. One clean shot and he is gone.''


    ''I want to feel him die, the same way he made me feel things I didn''t want.''


    Eske stepped back, watching as Nona approached Day with the knife. She paused for a moment, steeling herself for what she was about to do, and then plunged the blade into Day''s chest. The sound of flesh tearing and the sight of blood gushing from the wound was almost overwhelming, but Nona did not look away. Neither did Eske. He knew that this was necessary, that it was the only way to ensure their safety and protect their future and mostly to give Nona closure to her nightmare.


    As Nona pulled the knife out of Day''s body, she wiped it clean on her shirt and then tossed it aside. She turned to Eske, a look of resolve on her face.


    ''Do you want to leave? Or...'' Nona nodded in agreement but let her knees drop to the floor and cried.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.Eske knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her trembling form. ''It''s okay, love. It''s over now.'' He whispered soothingly, holding her close as she cried. He knew that this was a traumatic experience for her, and it would take time for her to heal from it. After a few minutes, Nona''s sobs subsided, and she pulled away from Eske. She wiped away her tears and stood up, looking down at the lifeless body of Delbert Day Whiterabbit. ''I feel nothing.'' She said, her voice hollow and distant. ''Is that wrong?'' Nona nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. ''I am proud of myself. But I also feel like a monster.''


    Eske shook his head. ''You''re not a monster, Nona. You''re a survivor. And sometimes, survival means doing things that aren''t pretty or heroic. But that doesn''t make you any less of a person.''


    Nona nodded again, slowly beginning to understand what Eske was saying. ''Thank you, baby. I don''t know what I would do without you.''


    Eske smiled, pulling her into a tight embrace. ''You don''t have to worry about that, love. I''m always here for you, no matter what.''


    Nona leaned into his embrace, feeling grateful for his unwavering support. ''At least we have a baby on its way.''


    Eske''s heart clenched at Nona''s words. He didn''t have the strength to tell her that their baby couldn''t be born. Not after what they had been through, not after what they had just done. He couldn''t bear to see the pain and disappointment in her eyes. ''Yes, we do.'' He forced a smile, hoping to distract her from the topic.


    Nona leaned back, looking up at Eske. ''I can''t wait to meet our little one.'' She smiled, placing her hand on her stomach. ''I want to give him or her the world, baby. I want to make sure they never have to go through what we did.''


    Eske''s smile faltered as he looked down at Nona''s hand on her stomach. He knew that he couldn''t keep the truth from her forever, but he didn''t know how to tell her. ''We will love. We will give our child everything they ask for.'' He replied, his voice strained.


    Nona looked up at him, sensing something was wrong. ''Eske, what''s wrong?''


    He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he had to say. ''Nona, we need to go home. But...''


    Eske trailed off, trying to figure out how to continue. Nona''s eyes narrowed, sensing the gravity of his words. ''But what, Eske?'' She pressed, her hand still resting on her stomach.


    Eske took another deep breath before finally saying it. ''But the baby... it can''t be born.'' He couldn''t bear to meet her eyes, but he could feel her hand trembling in his. There was a long silence as Nona processed his words.


    Finally, she pulled her hand away from her stomach, her face a mask of disbelief and pain. ''What do you mean? Why not?'' She demanded, her voice rising in panic.


    Eske couldn''t hold it anymore and let his head fall in her lap, crying.


    Nona''s heart sank as Eske''s tears fell onto her lap. She knew that something was seriously wrong, but she had never expected this. ''Eske, please tell me what''s going on.'' She whispered, running her fingers through his hair in an attempt to comfort him. Eske took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. ''The baby, Nona...''

 04:13- Falling down the rabbit hole

    Eske gently lifted Nona from the car and carried her inside their home on Earth 3.14. She was still in shock and barely responsive, but he knew he had to take care of her. He laid her down on the bed and began to undress her, taking care to be gentle and not cause her any pain. Only now, he noticed all her wounds and bruised and all that Day did to her. He then drew a warm bath for her and helped her into the tub. As she soaked in the water, he sat beside her and washed her hair, massaging her scalp and trying to soothe her. He looked at the basket with balloons she left before the mission and regretted not having to get rid of it.


    After the bath, Eske wrapped Nona in a warm towel and helped her into a fresh set of clothes. He then brought her a hot meal, which she barely touched. Eske knew that Nona was still in shock and needed time to process what had happened. He sat with her for hours, holding her hand and comforting her as she cried.


    Finally, as the sun began to set, Nona spoke up. ¡®Baby, why can''t our baby be born?¡¯ Her voice was quiet and shaky, and Eske could see the pain in her eyes.


    He took a deep breath and looked at her, trying to find the right words. ''Nona, the reason the baby can''t be born is that... he is like you.''


    Nona''s eyes widened in shock and horror. ''Like me?'' she whispered.


    Eske took her hand and squeezed it. ''Before I found you, I met him at the park... with the ducks. And he asked me. He didn''t tell me much.''


    Nona shook her head, tears streaming down her face. ''Why being like me is wrong? That is a really fucking bad excuse.''


    Eske leaned in closer to her, his eyes filled with tears: ''Do you remember what you once made me promise? That Ava would always come first?''


    Nona looked at him, her eyes filled with doubt. ''But the baby is also ours!''


    ''Eve, his name is Eve.''


    ''It''s our baby!''


    ''No, Nona, he''s not. Eve doesn''t exist. He can''t exist.''


    Nona stared at Eske, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. ''What do we do now?'' she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    Eske took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check. ''He told me that all answers are in his room. I guess the one you gave me the keys for.''


    Nona nodded, her tears still flowing. ''And then what? Do we just forget that he ever existed?''


    Eske shook his head. ''No, Nona. We won''t forget him. He''ll always be a part of us, a part of our story. I''m so sorry, baby. I... I don''t know.''


    Nona reached out and touched Eske''s face, her own filled with sadness and pain. ''We''ll figure it out, baby. We''ll get through this together.'' Eske leaned into her touch, grateful for her love and support. ''Yes, we will. But for now, let''s just rest. We can deal with everything tomorrow.'' Nona nodded, curling up beside Eske on the bed. They held each other close, finding comfort in each other''s presence as they drifted off to sleep, their minds and hearts heavy with the weight of what had transpired.


    Nona walked down the dimly lit hallway towards Eve''s supposed room. Her steps were hesitant and slow, as if she was afraid of what she might find. As she pushed open the door, she was surprised to find that the room was not a room at all but a server room. Rows and rows of blinking servers lined the walls, each one humming softly as they processed data. The air was chilly and smelled of electronics and metal. Nona''s eyes scanned the room, searching for any signs of her baby. But there was nothing. No furniture, no baby decorations, no toys, nothing that would suggest that this was a room for a child. She took a step forward, feeling her heart sink with every passing moment.


    As she walked deeper into the room, she noticed a large flat-screen television mounted on the wall. It was paused in a video with her own face. Nona''s heart raced as she walked up to the screen and but she didn¡¯t press play.


    She turned to leave the room, her mind spinning with questions and confusion. But as she walked towards the door, she saw Eske.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.''I don''t think you should do this alone.'' he said.


    ''Is not a baby room.''


    ''Yeah, it doesn''t look like one, love.''


    ''I knew... I mean, I know, but I don''t remember like always.''


    Eske nodded, understanding the confusion and pain that Nona was feeling. ''We don''t need to do it now. We can wait for tomorrow morning and...''


    ''I don''t want Ava here. I don''t want her to know this.''


    ''Now is a good time as any. When you''re ready, Nona.''


    Nona took a deep breath and turned back to face the screen. The video continued, showing her in a white room, sitting in front of a camera. She looked scared and confused, her eyes darting around as if she was unsure of what to do or say.


    ''Hi, I should say first that I''m sorry. And I know because I remember something that is still far away from happening..., and it is too much. I can still feel him, and my skin still aches. But knowing I won''t meet him hurts me the most. But I also remember giving him birth. It is funny to remember the loss of someone and to remember to hold them for a second. Because that is what it took, that beautiful little thing took a couple of seconds to absorb everything. Nothing was left. Eske will be gone, friends, home, timelines after timelines. Such little thing caused such... But those seconds are so precious. I don''t have words to describe it. Besides, I know I will remember it. As I remember others that will come. There are other rooms, and I need to think also about them. I need to be strong. I need to stop feeding in pain and accept that time sometimes sucks. Sometimes it is like overcooked steak. Others taste like wet paper. Or pennies and rust. But sometimes, it tastes like peppermint and oranges with cinnamon. And it is worth trying for those really tasty moments. Do what you must. Do it for me, do it for him, and do it for them.''


    Nona felt a lump form in her throat as she watched the video. She couldn''t believe that the person on the screen was her, talking about a baby that had never existed. Her heart ached as she thought about what could have been, about the moments that she would never get to experience with her child. But at the same time, she felt a strange sense of comfort, knowing that her baby had existed in some form, even if it was only for a few precious seconds. As the video came to an end, Nona wiped away her tears and turned to Eske. ''I''m ready.''


    Nona sat in front of the screen, her body shaking with sobs as she watched the video of her past self. She felt a sharp pain in her chest, and she gasped for breath. She brought her hand to her mouth and coughed. She saw small black particles being expelled from her mouth.


    The particles were small, almost like grains of sand, but they were spreading rapidly. They seemed to be drawn to the servers, burrowing into the circuitry and spreading their dark mist.


    She could feel her child fleeing her body to find comfort in the machinery. She could feel him leaving her, and it was a bittersweet feeling. On the one hand, she was relieved that her child had found a place to exist, even if it wasn''t with her. On the other hand, she felt a deep sense of loss and sadness, knowing that she would never be able to hold her child, watch him grow, or experience all the joys of motherhood. Eske stood by her side, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. He didn''t know what to do or say, but he knew that he had to be there for Nona. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she continued to cough and cry. After a few minutes, Nona''s coughing subsided, and she looked up at Eske, her eyes filled with tears. ¡®He''s gone.¡¯ she whispered, her voice barely audible. Eske nodded, his own eyes glistening with tears.


    ¡®I know.¡¯ he said softly. ¡®But he''ll always be a part of us, Nona. He''ll always be with us, in some form or another.¡¯ Nona leaned into him, taking comfort in his words and his embrace. She knew that she would never fully heal from the loss of her child, but she also knew that she had Eske by her side, and together, they would get through this. As they stood there, holding each other close, the servers continued to hum softly, the black particles weaving their way through the circuitry. And somewhere, in the midst of all that data and code, their child existed, in some form or another, a part of their story forever.


    This is the story of the Girl who could taste Time. Sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, it is nevertheless part of her story.