"L...luke?" His eyes were closed, blood flowing from the side of his face. I shook my head to bring myself back to reality as I wrapped my arms around the upper part of his body and pulled hard, freeing his leg from the crushed car.
After getting them out, I straightened, trying to calm my nerves. My hands shook uncontrollably as I tried to analyze the situation in front of me.What should I do now? What does someone have to do when they witness an accident? I stepped away from Luke's body and felt around for my bag. I got my phone and called for an ambulance.It took roughly twenty minutes, and I got in with them after saying I was a family friend. They had started resuscitating Luke and putting an oxygen mask over him, but the older, weirdly extremely familiar man was completely still. It scared me to my bones.I don't remember seeing this accident back then, the first time I was 18 years old. So why and how was I seeing it now? What does this even mean for me? I was sure this was not the accident that killed Luke, but...I also never knew he was in another accident. Come to think of it, I don't know a lot about him.I sat on the waiting chair as both of them were wheeled in. I was sure Mrs. Catherina would not know me, so I called my dad instead. Mrs. Catherina arrived after some time, just as the light in the operating room of the elder man went off, and the team of doctors started to troop out."Excuse me," Mrs. Catherina said as I stood up too, my hands anxiously rubbing together. "How is he?""We did all we could, but the internal bleeding was too much. He went into cardiac arrest too many times during the surgery, and he died at 2:23 p.m." The doctor said, then walked away.I watched her collapse and they all gathered around her, while some nurses came over to look at her. It reminded me of how she had collapsed when the same announcement was passed, 7 years into the future, during her son's death. He was going to be buried in a public ground, and a relative of theirs went to sign the necessary papers. When he came back, he was holding a few things in a ziploc, and he said it was the things that had been found with him when he was brought in. I couldn't help hut catch sight of a familiar rectangle shaped object through the clear ziploc bag. It was broken, but I could remember it.It was exactly what the elderly man had dropped on the floor, and I had stepped on. I watched absent mindedly as they started to disperse, leaving the one relative who was holding the ziploc."Excuse me," I said as I walked to him. "I am sorry for your loss. I was the one who found them at the crash site."He broke into a smile. "Thank you so much." He said. "I am hoping Luke wakes up. I bet he will be devastated about my brother's death.""The deceased is your brother?" I asked, wondering why I never saw him."I was adopted at an early age. Hence the lack of resemblance." He nodded at me, and I forced a small smile."Nevertheless, I am sorry.""Thank you. Can you please wait here while I get a few things done? Luke is still getting treated ."I nodded. "Go ahead."He dropped the ziploc and walked off to do something. I carefully picked it and opened it, bringing out the small broken digital calendar.The date on it was broken, but I could see the year. 022. Wait. If the man who just died is Luke's father, and he has this...does that mean...does that mean he was transported to a time in 2022? Seven years from now? Is that even possible if he was going to die now?"Dad." I looked up, and Luke was walking, swaying side by side, his leg feeble. I had no idea he had woken up, or if he was even allowed to be walking around like that.I kept the ziploc and digital calendar and ran to him. "Luke?"He didn't look at me, just continued to trudge forward. He tripped and almost fell, and I broke his fall, forcing him to look up."Who are you?" He asked, his voice the same deep musical notes I remembered. Just this time it lacked the cold steely ring to it, and it made him sound more human."i am...a friend."He didn't look like it made any sense to him as he asked. "Do you know where my dad is?" His eyes filled as he asked, and I held on to him, wrapping his arm around my shoulder to support him, and my other hand wrapped around his waist."I will take care of him," I said to the nurses who were trying to stop him, and I helped him walk forward. He had never looked so vulnerable in all my time of knowing him, and I tried hard to see him as the 18 year old who just saw his father die. Not the 25 year old who never gave me a chance.As if on cue, the stretcher was wheeled out with his father's body, his face covered in white sheet. He looked at me, as if asking me if that was him. I couldn't answer before he left my grip, his nail digging into my neck as he removed his hand from around it roughly and fell on the body, stopping the nurses from wheeling him away."Dad." He said, his voice breaking even though the word was so short. "Dad, please answer me. Dad." He was getting hysterical now, and I couldn't resist the urge to stand next to him, and pat his hair lightly as he hugged the body, crying without reservations. I guess this was how it must feel. Losing someone. Unlike the deafening silence I had shown at his own funeral.He peeled off the white sheets from his father's now clean, pale face, and that was when I remembered where I had seen him. He was the elderly man who had talked to me at Luke's burial. Luke's father was alive in the future? Was he the one who brought me back here?Wait..I know his father was a science geek, and his name...what was Luke's last name? I never did find out because no one wanted to talk about him then, but I knew Luke's last name.I was so deep in thought that the only thing I heard was the nurses wheeling the stretcher away, and Luke's cries became even louder and more desperate. I walked closer to his crouched body, and I patted his back a little absent mindedly. What was his last name? It was when he suddenly straightened and pulled me into his arms, his face buried in my shoulder and his tears wetting the crook of my neck that I remembered it.McGregor. Luke McGregor.Luke had his head buried in the crook of my neck, and for a second I forgot all the pieces I had been trying to put together. I had been trying to think about just why I was brought back here, to see him from this perspective, and this...it just made me forget."My dad....my dad." He just kept saying into my neck, his breath fanning my skin. I slowly put my arms around him as he pulled himself closer to me. I understood just how much he needed someone right now. To be there for him. Strangely, I found myself willing."I am sorry, Luke." I managed to say as I patted his back. "I am so sorry."Something in me told me I wasn't just apologizing for this one thing, but I kicked the notion away.He released me slowly, and when he looked at me, his eyes were slightly swollen from crying so much. I didn't even know this was how he looked when he was less than calm and collected. I didn't know this was how he looked when he was devastated."I want to go home..." He said to me, his voice bre
The feeling of his eyes on me was electrifying, and I looked down at my feet."So uhm..." I said, and cleared my throat. Being 18 years old made me a lot shyer, and to an extent, I was feeling so much more than I used to. It was like as I grew, I lost the part of myself that felt, and it was a little dizzying to find it again.I had become cold and hard, and maybe...maybe this was the best version of me."I will go back home. And I will make sure to thank you properly.""Thank me properly?""I hope we meet again." He was extremely gentle and shy, and he has a one sided dimple that gave him the pure, innocent look.I nodded absent mindedly and watched his back as he left.It was an especially cold morning, and he was only wearing the hospital wear. I found myself running to my closet. It had all the old clothes, the clothes I used to wear as an 18 year old jolly girl.I checked them for a jacket, and I found only one black one. It was the only dark colored piece of clothing I had and
"You didn't have to do this." I said, lightly kicking the umbrella away as I moved closer. He shrugged. "Made me feel like I was still with dad. It's hard to come to terms with the fact that he won't ever be around."I stopped checking the cookies out and looked at him. He didn't let me comfort him however, as he cracked a smile. "I guess I at least learned to bake." He laughed and transferred the batch to a glass bowl."So how did you get so much flour all over you?""I just wanted to make chocolate chip cookies for the next batch." He said with small laughs punctuating his words."And you made a human cookie instead." I laughed as I said it, and it satisfied me that he found it funny too."You know, my dad and I...explored cooking all the time. I hate to say it, but I was into stuff like that. I still am, but not with the same vigour." He said, as he dusted himself off."So..how did you develop a liking for cooking?"I sat on the kitchen island, watching him talk. Maybe he found
I suddenly lost appetite, as the scene of my first introduction to Luke, 7 years into the future floated behind my eyes, causing me to hear his mother's voice ring in my ears."We have maintained very close friendship with your family, Karla. In fact, your father is the only best friend that my late husband had and acknowledged. Other times, he had his nose buried in science books..."I shook my head and closed my eyes tightly, then opened them again."Are you fine?""It must have been so hard, Luke." I said again, trying hard to swallow the lump that was growing in my throat.He must have thought I was disgusting. He must have thought I was like my father. Or when he looked at me, he saw his late father's pain. I didn't do any of it, in fact, I didn't know, but...he wouldn't know that. I wouldn't even care if I was in his shoes."It gets better." He said, then pushed the bowl of cookies to me. "Do you not like it?""I do. Thanks." But I couldn't help that I had lost my appetite. My
I stopped for a while, just looking at the parcel. It felt like I was looking at Luke's disappointed eyes all over again. He had looked so disgusted. He must have thought I planned it all. Meeting him, helping him. He must have have seen me as an even worse person.I picked the parcel, but then thought of looking around to see if he would be around. He wasn't.I went back home and dropped the parcel right next to the cookies from yesterday. Maybe this travel back in time isn't working out well. Maybe I should have stayed ignorant. That way, with time, he will learn to let it go.Now...he never will be able to.I picked up my phone, but there was no one to call. My dad was the last person I wanted to hear from, and I am not sure I wanted to hear from my mum too. I didn't want to talk to Bernice or anyone. The only person I wanted to talk to was Luke. But I didn't even have his number. I sighed. Even if I did, I am sure he wouldn't pick up.I lay my head on the table, supporting it with
I felt light, like some burden was lifted off my shoulder. This was why Luke's father had brought me back here. Because I had to understand Luke. I had to see him from a perspective that wasn't biased, and now that I did, I made me feel like I had wronged him all through till the time he died. He didn't deserve his wife not shedding a single tear for him.Wait. I looked down at my shadow as I stood just outside, my heart beat picking up pace. The shadows were still two, complete with the silhouette of my hair and my sling back. I gulped.Did I have to go back? Does that mean I could only visit here and not actually stay?I watched the shadows again. They looked closer than the first time I had seen it. Was it some sort of time ticking? Was it the amount of time I had to go back that was passing by?I braced myself and walked in, but instead of attending classes and getting settled, I found myself walking straight to the library. I need more insight on the time travel machine Mr. McG
I woke up much later, my limbs sore from the awkward position I had fallen asleep in. All I did was to make cereal, churn it down my throat and go back to sleep.Reality was honestly just not my forte right now, and it was already sundown. I didn't intend to make too much difference here. It isn't my place, and for all I know, the me that lived during this time would be lurking around somewhere, waiting to return to her place.A gentle knock on my door woke me up, but it was the bright rays of the sun that finished the job. I sat up and looked around. It was all in a mess, but I was expecting only Bernice, so I didn't even bother.The slight knock came again, and I stood, moving my hair away from my face, and slapping off the few strands that had clung unto my lips. I could remember very well that was why I cut my hair short, because I ended up eating it in my sleep.I opened the door, my face a bloated mess that my squinted eyes had somehow found a place in. They widened however, w
I cleared my throat as Luke tilted his head a little, his lips slightly parted."It is fine if you don't want to...it's just a childish whim anyway." He smiled at me and turned away, then left the kitchen.But that was not what not what was on my mind. My husband...no, he is not my husband right now, but...I took in a deep sigh as I turned to the entrance. He was sitting on the couch, his head lowered, probably looking at something."Uhm...where do you want to go?"This is a bad idea, Karla. The guy's dead. You have to go back. This is not your time.He turned to me, his eyes serious. "I feel like you have already done so much for me and this could be a bit...""Just cut the crap and tell me where we are going." Oh yeah. I almost forgot the 18 years old me was so sharp mouthed.He seemed fascinated by my response, then laughed. "Why don't you get ready and...we leave?""Right now?" My eyes widened."Uhmm..we will be there by evening..and..""But today is your birthday, right?""Yes,