Breaking Time

by Luke Derricks

  “Oh my God,” said Luke.

  “Anyway, he was pretty smart and figured out how to use it. At some point, he must’ve encountered a pyramid like this, found this room, and touched the Altar of Destiny. He became a changed man…”

  Ray asked, “How do you know all this?”

  “We eventually learned who stole the crystal. He was a custodian at the university. Some old guy, um… Gates, I believe his last name was. He was hard of hearing, going blind. Had a lot of health problems, really. We honestly didn’t think he’d overhear us talking about the crystal. He was nearby, emptying the trash one day, in the other room. We didn’t think anything of it.” He sighed with tears filling his eyes. “It was a mistake I’ll never make again.”

  “What happened?” Luke asked.

  He cleared his throat. “Well, the Altar fundamentally changes you. James and I had already gone through it. Helen did shortly after. It’s how we got our powers. Just like you, Ray. But it doesn’t just randomly give you any power. It takes you through significant emotional experience, some defining moment in your past. And it plays that scene over and over—”

  “And over,” said Ray.

  “—until it finally pushes you to reach inside and manifest some power to change what happened. It gives you a power based on what you need, what you most want or wish you could’ve done, in that emotionally intense moment.”

  Dawn looked to Ray. She had a better understanding now of what he just went through. She pulled herself closer to him.

  “For me,” said Charlie, “it took me back to when I was a child. It was summer camp. I went out exploring in the woods. Wandered too far, got lost. The sun went down. Couldn’t see for the life of me. It was so terrifying. I was so scared. I thought I’d never find my way back. I thought I’d never see my parents or friends again. It was so dark. Like being blind. I remember that night. Completely overcast. No moon, no stars. And that’s when it happened for me. Suddenly I had the power to see in the dark, and a variety of other vision-based super powers. Suddenly, I could see everything, perfectly, clear as day – and I found my way back to the cabin where I felt safe again.”

  “For me,” said Ray, “it took me back to the moment my parents split up. I wanted nothing more than to force them back together.”

  “And now your power?”

  “I can move things by thought.”

  “Fascinating. It’s different for everybody. It’s not always the power you might expect. But it’s always significant, something emotionally driven in the moment.”

  Luke paused for a moment. “…What power did my parents have?”

  “James had super speed. Helen could read minds.”

  Dawn was missing something. “Why do you keep talking in the past tense? Did they lose their powers or something?”

  Luke’s head lowered.

  “No,” said Charlie, choking up. “They died.”

  Mastermind and crew drew nearer to the enormous pyramid.

  “That thing is HUGE!” exclaimed Shadow.

  Far bigger than any pyramid on Earth. Several times over. But they still had a ways to go.

  “What’s inssside there?” asked Venom.

  “Your destinies.”

  Dawn felt like shit.

  “Sorry. I didn’t know,” she said.

  Ray put his arm around her.

  Luke turned away. “And I killed them.”

  “That’s not true, Luke,” said his uncle, going over to comfort him.

  “Yeah man,” said Ray. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

  “It’s all my fault,” he said, refusing to let anyone touch him. “If it wasn’t for me… and my stupid decision, they’d still be here today.”

  Dawn so wanted to ask what happened. But she was afraid to. Maybe, if she waited, someone would say something. Poor Luke. She barely knew the guy. He looked so hurt. So sad.

  “Luke, it’s not your fault,” his uncle Charlie reassured him. “Really, I promise. Have you been blaming yourself this entire time?”

  Luke faced away, silently.

  “Luke…”

  He crossed his arms. “Forget it.”

  “Luke, look at me,” said his uncle.

  “I killed them.” Tears poured out. “It’s all my fault,” he whispered

  “Please, it’s okay,” said Charlie. “No one blames you. Luke, listen to me, it wasn’t your fault.”

  Luke turned around, red puffy eyes, tears streaming down his face. “You weren’t there! You don’t know!”

  “Luke, think about it. Your parents were super heroes. You think that could actually kill them?”

  He sniffed. He started to think about it. Maybe… not.

  “Luke, the real reason why your father didn’t want you getting caught up in all this… is because people like Mastermind are out there. And he—and your mom—wanted you as far away from him as possible.”

  “Mastermind?” remarked Dawn.

  “Who?” asked Ray.

  “My guess,” said Charlie, “the same guy who kidnapped you earlier today and injected that chemical into you.”

  “What?” asked Luke, wiping off his tears.

  “The janitor who stole the crystal. He got a power too, you understand. Mind control. And he didn’t use it for the greater good.”

  “What happened?” asked Dawn.

  “Well, like I said, at some point he must’ve found a pyramid, discovered this room, and touched the Altar of Destiny. Your mom, dad, and I were out doing our little super hero thing –anonymously and secretly helping others with our powers. Then one day we ran into him, and as soon as we realized he had powers too, we thought, ‘Great, another ally! Let’s invite him to join us!’ So that’s what we did.”

  “Mastermind used to be a hero?” Luke remarked.

  “Not really,” said Charlie. “Not for long. He seemed more interested in some twisted form of revenge. Getting back at people who looked at him the wrong way. Making himself superior to everyone else. He even started manipulating women to, well… he showed little sign he cared for others.”

  Ray looked to Dawn.

  “We tried reasoning with him. Tried to stop him. But he said he was above the law, above morals and ethics, above everyone and everything. Called himself ‘Mastermind’, and warned us not to interfere with his plan.”

  “His plan?” asked Luke.

  “Yeah. Like something out of one of your comic books. Said he alone had the vision for true world peace. Said he was going to recreate the world in his own image.”

  “Freaky,” said Ray.

  “He actually told us, rather brazenly, that he used to be my janitor at the university until he swiped my crystal, came across a pyramid, and not only gave himself powers – but used the medical lab to heal his body. And I’m not just talking his failing eyes and ears. He actually made himself about thirty years younger! We couldn’t believe it. And then he says that he’s truly a god now, immortal and super powered, and nothing we could say or do could stop him now.”

  “Oh my God,” said Luke.

  Ray was speechless.

  “It gets worse,” said Charlie. “He used his mind control against us and escaped. We tried tracking him down, but we were always two steps behind him. Then one day we got lucky. Or he got sloppy. We learned that he was up to something in Hawaii.”

  Luke looked up in anticipation. He listened very carefully to every word his uncle said.

  “And that trip, Luke… it wasn’t some last-minute vacation your parents decided to go on. James and Helen were trying to catch Mastermind. And it was him – not you – for why they’re not here today.”

  “What?” Luke cried. What was he saying?

  “Mastermind killed them, Luke. Not you.”

  Ray couldn’t believe it. It hit him suddenly. “Oh my God!” he exclaimed. “You son of a bitch!”

  This was all Charlie’s fault. All of it.

  He flashed his hand and threw Charlie half way ac
ross the room, slamming him into the mirror wall. “You’re the reason why that madman is on the loose! You’re the reason Dawn was mind controlled and kidnapped, and almost turned into a monster! You’re the reason our waitress got mutated and the other guy is now dead!” Ray flicked his wrist and launched Charlie high into the air. “And all along Luke’s been feeling guilty about his parents – and you knew the real reason!”

  Charlie went slamming into the ground. Ray stepped closer. Charlie launched into the air again. Ray sent him flying to the other side of the room. Charlie smashed into that wall, and then painfully and forcefully dropped to the floor. “I can’t believe you—”

  Dawn gently held Ray’s arm. She looked at him with her soft eyes. “Ray, please…”

  He took a deep breath and started to calm down.

  “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe…”

  Across the room, Charlie got up and dusted himself off. Nothing felt broken. Amazingly.

  Ray used his power to pull Charlie – gently – back to them.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I just… so much has happened… and to find out this mind-controlling super villain is on the loose because you carelessly bragged about your damn little crystal…”

  “I know,” said Charlie, softly. “I know. You’re right. That’s my guilt. That’s on my conscience. That’s something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life. And it’s no excuse, but I only hid all this from Luke because they made me promise to keep him completely out of this. They never wanted him to know. They honestly felt he’d be safest that way.”

  “Then why now?” Luke asked, holding back tears of mixed emotions.

  “Because,” said Uncle Charlie, “I found out Mastermind was in Los Angeles. You were in danger now whether you knew or not. Remember, Mastermind was our friend at first. For a short time. He knew James and Helen had a son. I feared the worst – that he wouldn’t be satisfied with just them. You were involved now whether you liked it or not. I couldn’t leave you defenseless. I had to show you the crystal. I had to tell you the truth.”

  No words can describe what Luke felt in that moment. It was a long, slow, silent moment. No one said a word. They all watched Luke.

  And finally, eventually, he lifted his head.

  “Okay,” he whispered.

  “I’m so sorry, Luke,” said Charlie. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

  Part of him wanted to go up and hug his beloved uncle. They shared so much history. So many good memories. They were family. Of course he loved him. Of course he forgave him.

  On the other hand, this was all a little too much to take in at once. He just found out his parents had super powers and were secretly doing the super hero thing his whole life. And because of his uncle’s carelessness, a powerful super villain was now on the loose – a super villain who had already gotten a little too close to home.

  “It really wasn’t my fault?” Luke finally asked.

  Charlie shook his head. “Not at all. I’m sorry. I had no idea you’d been blaming yourself all this time. I thought you were just depressed, understandably so, after such a loss. I tried to be cheery and supportive. But maybe that’s not what you needed…”

  “That day changed me,” he said. “I haven’t felt the same since.”

  Charlie looked compassionately upon him. He didn’t know how to say this. Or even if now was the right time. But here they were, inside the Temple of the Gods, in the presence of the Altar of Destiny. Luke deserved to know.

  “Luke,” he said, clearing his throat. “You need to know… if you use the Altar to get a power, it’s going to take you back to an emotionally-significant moment in your life. There’s a really high chance, if you do, it’s going to take you back to that day.”

  Luke sighed deeply. “Wow.” Here was his chance to have a super power. But it meant reliving the most painful and life-changing day of his life.

  The day he lost both his parents.

  The thought of having a super power was tempting. Very tempting. But he just didn’t know if he had the emotional strength to go through that day again.

  It was no easy decision.

  But… maybe it really wasn’t his fault. Maybe he’d get to see a different side of the story. The whole story. Maybe, as difficult and painful as it would be to go through this – maybe it was exactly what he needed. Not just for the power. But for his own closure and healing, too.

  “Okay. I’ll do it,” he said.

  “You’re sure?” asked his uncle.

  He checked within himself to be sure. He nodded again, gaining confidence with each nod. “Yeah. As ready as I’m going to be.”

  “Okay,” said his uncle. “None of us can go in there with you. This is a journey ever man and woman must take alone. Remember, the same events will play over and over again – until you experience your breakthrough. Choose wisely. For your new power will come out of your greatest desire.”

  “Alright,” said Luke, pretending to understand better than he probably did. “What do I have to do?”

  Charlie motioned toward the carved stone pedestal. “Step closer, and when the orb appears, touch it – and enter. We’ll be here waiting for when you get back.

  Chapter Four

  It’s About Time

  Luke stood on top of his living room couch.

  And immediately, he saw his younger self – not that much younger, only by about eight months, but younger just the same. His eight-month-younger self sat on the floor, eating a bowl of popcorn, staring up at a movie projected onto the wall.

  It was a familiar scene.

  Doc Brown, the wily-haired lovable scientist, hung from a giant clock tower. The time was 10:03. Less than a minute before that famous bolt of lightning would strike.

  But a fallen tree branch had disconnected the high voltage cable wires. Marty and his time machine accelerated up the street. Lightning flashed above the clock tower. Doc had to act fast. He looped the cable around the minute hand and zip lined down to the ground. He quickly freed the branch.

  Damn, he watched this movie a lot.

  It’s not like he couldn’t quote the whole movie line by line, without missing a beat. Sure, it was a great movie. But… “I need to get a life,” present-day Luke said to himself.

  The movie continued. Eight-month-younger Luke was completely unaware of present-day Luke’s presence.

  Present-day Luke stepped down from the couch. Waved his hand in front of his younger self’s face. No reaction.

  “Alright,” said present-day Luke. “Which day is this? When did the sphere send me back to?”

  Younger Luke’s cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID. It read: “Dad.”

  He picked it up. “Hey Dad,” he said, only slightly lowering the volume on the movie. This was before he lost his remote, obviously. Maybe present-day Luke could use the power of the time-traveling sphere to help him find wherever he lost that remote.

  “What? No way!” younger Luke exclaimed. “You’re going to Maui?”

  Right. Present-day Luke remembered. He knew exactly what day it was. It was the day his dad called to say they, meaning just his dad and mom, would be making a little weekend getaway trip to Hawaii.

  “Can I come too? Pleeeeeeease?” younger Luke begged.

  Luke originally wasn’t going to go with them. His dad, on the phone, made some story about how he and his wife needed a romantic getaway. But Luke didn’t care. It was Hawaii. He so wanted to go. Even if it was only for three days.

  “I can get someone to cover my shift!” he exclaimed. “Please, please, please!”

  Present-day Luke rolled his eyes. If only his eight-month-younger self knew that, in about eight months from now, he’d be using a magic crystal to travel to other worlds. Enter high-tech pyramids with holographic healing doctors and a glowing orb that could send a person back into their own past just by touching it!

  Younger Luke had no idea his parents or uncle had super powers. Or that anyone in t
he real world did. He secretly wished there were real-life super heroes. And he really, really wanted to be one, too.

  He was so close. He had no idea.

  His dad finally agreed to let Luke tag along.

  “This is going to be so great! Wait ‘till I tell Ray!”

  Where was Ray right now? School? Work? What was he doing eight months ago?

  Present-day Luke started to get nervous. He just watched himself convince his dad to let them take him along. If Luke hadn’t gone to Maui with them… they might still be alive today.

  Suddenly the scene changed. They were no longer in Luke and Ray’s apartment. They were aboard an airplane, flying over the Pacific Ocean. It was only about a five hour flight from Los Angeles to Maui. But Luke was pretty restless. He hadn’t been to Hawaii since he was five years old, the last time they took a family trip there.

  His mom got up to go to the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later. No conversation or significant events here, as far as present-day Luke could tell.

  The scene changed again. Suddenly Luke found himself on Maui, somewhere off the beaten path. He cringed. He knew exactly where they were. This was the last time he saw his parents alive.

  “Luke, wait up,” said his dad.

  They were all out hiking along the rocky-edge high cliff shores. A spectacular sight. They could see out into the clear blue ocean for miles and miles. Strong, warm winds blew in their faces and kept them cool under the hot tropical sun. Down below was the ocean, with over a hundred foot drop. The white crested waves crashed into the rocks below.

  “Amazing to think this was all created by lava!” younger Luke said. “Did you know that the island of Maui was formed over five million years ago!”

  His dad hiked up the uneven rocky path. “No, I didn’t know that,” he said.

  “Luke, be careful,” said his mom, seeing him step a little closer to the ledge. “You don’t want to slip and fall.”

  Present-day Luke lowered his head.

  “Spectacular view,” said his dad, arriving next to Luke. Together, father and son, they looked out over the vast ocean. “I’m glad you came along,” he said.