Within Darkness

by C J M Naylor

  I looked up at Thomas. “You think I have a twin?”

  “It’s the only thing I can think of that would explain these other voices,” he replied. “You’ve described everything perfectly—you are able to interact with them, they are your own voice. The only thing I can’t wrap my head around is to why they would only begin after you turned eighteen. In everything I’ve read, it’s something that should have been happening long before then. Regardless though, we need to find out what that prophecy is about.”

  “Timekeeper Jane.”

  We both looked to the end of the aisle of bookcases and saw a black girl, about my age, looking at us both.

  “Yes, Alma?”

  “The President is here to see you. He’s in your office.” She turned and walked away.

  I looked up at Thomas in confusion. “The President?”

  “Yes,” Thomas replied. “He’s been coming around a lot lately.”

  “You mean,” I couldn’t seem to get out what I was thinking, “the President of the United States?”

  He gave me a weird grin. “Who else would I mean? Didn’t your father at least tell you some significant non-Timekeepers know of our society?”

  I racked my brain. He had said a lot, but he might have mentioned it.

  “What does he need from you?” I asked.

  “He’s probably going to ask something about the war and America’s involvement,” said Thomas, walking away. “We can advise him on what to do, based on history. However, we most certainly cannot tell him what we know will happen. If you’ll excuse me, Abigail. Please enjoy the library. I will be back soon and I can show you around if you’d like.”

  I nodded. “I would like that.”

  He smiled again, placed the book about premonitions back on the shelf, and walked away.

  I turned and began to peruse the books about Timekeeping. Not everything was about Timekeeping though. There were subjects that were simply normal, non-Timekeeping subjects. I wondered what their purpose was other than to be read when in a Timekeeping library.

  “Abigail?”

  I turned and saw Ian walking to me from the other end of the aisle. As he did, I was reminded of the time we had met, almost a year ago now, at the London Library. He had approached me then, and he had called me Melanie. He had seemed confused for a moment, and then he had played it off like it was nothing. But what if it was something?

  “Abigail,” he said, inches away. “You’re here. Did you change your mind? How did you know where to find the place?”

  “It was all kind of coincidental actually,” I responded. I quickly explained the story of how I had met Thomas at the Verdi Club, and then again, inadvertently, at the library when I had come looking for a job.

  “That’s great,” Ian said, but there was something about his expression that suggested he thought otherwise. He probably thought I wasn’t sane enough to handle it. “Would you like me to show you around?”

  “Actually, I think Thomas is going to do that. He had to run off for a minute, but he’ll be back in a bit.”

  “Very well.” Ian considered me for a moment, as if he wanted to say or do something more, but he didn’t. He walked around me and said he would see me later tonight. I was going to let him go, but I needed to know about him calling me Melanie.

  “Ian?”

  He turned around. “Yes?”

  “Do you remember how we first met?”

  Ian looked at the shelves of books around him and smiled. “If I recall, it was in the London Library.”

  “That’s right,” I said, stepping forward a bit. “And you called me Melanie at first? Do you remember that?”

  It took him a moment to respond, but when he did, he simply said, “No, I don’t recall doing that. I’ll see you later.” He turned on his heel and walked away. The unfortunate thing for Ian was that I knew him now. I had known him for almost a year. He had hesitated a moment too long when I asked him the question, and it was because of that, that I knew he was lying.

  CHAPTER NINE

  After Ian left, I decided to spend some time perusing the book Thomas had found about premonitions until he returned. It would at least get my brain off thoughts about Ian and his motives. I found a comfortable chair in the main center of the library and started reading the book from the beginning.

  Most of the information at the beginning contained information I was already aware of, such as how premonitions wouldn’t fully develop until a Timekeeper was eighteen. It still interested me, nevertheless.

  “Find anything interesting?”

  I looked up and found Thomas leaning over the chair, staring at the page I was on.

  “It’s the same book we were looking at earlier,” I said.

  He nodded and came around to sit in the chair next to me.

  “How did things go with President Roosevelt?” I asked him.

  “Like I said before, I advised him on some strategies he could implement, but when he asked about how the war would go, there was nothing I could tell him. They never like that answer. I get it though. It’s hard to understand that we cannot change the course of history just because we want to, or because we want to save someone.”

  I knew that last part was a jab at me about yesterday.

  “You didn’t know until now though,” I began, “that I technically cannot interfere with terrible things happening. Yesterday, you only assumed I would die. Why did you stop me?”

  He sighed. “I’d like to say I’m used to it by now. I realize how young I am, but you aren’t the first person I have been in charge of training. It’s happened before and I’ve stopped them because that is the law. I knew Gertrude quite well, and I also knew that while her death was tragic, she’s lived a long life. Why shouldn’t you have the same?”

  I looked away because I knew my eyes were beginning to water. I looked down at the book I was reading and tried to keep a sob from rising up within me, but it didn’t work. I began to choke up.

  “Hey,” Thomas said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  I looked at him as slow tears moved down my face. He looked like he wanted to pat me on the back, or give me some encouragement, but he also looked like he didn’t want to invade my space. In the end though, he leaned in, his arms open, and I fell into his embrace. He held me like that, briefly, and then let me go.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to me. I dabbed at my eyes and attempted to pull myself together.

  “So,” I said, “when is the war going to end? If you can tell me, that is.”

  “It will be over within the next year,” Thomas said. A feeling of joy erupted in me, but also sadness, because we had another year of war. “But Abigail, so many more terrible things are going to happen before then. It’s not going to be pretty. But anyway, as I was walking out, I saw you talking to Ian. So, does he know now?”

  I nodded. “He does. And I’m not sure if I trust him.”

  “Why do you say that?” Thomas asked.

  I took a deep breath, collecting myself, and then began to tell Thomas everything that had been happening with Ian lately. I started with his change in attitude since we had arrived in America. I also told him how he didn’t seem to mind that I wasn’t coming to training and how I felt that was a little out of character for him. And finally, I told him about what I had remembered today. About when Ian had called me Melanie, and how he had brushed it off when I had confronted him about it.

  “I want you to be careful around him,” Thomas said after I was finished. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions and assume the worst of people, but just do me a favor and be careful. Okay?”

  I nodded.

  “Good,” he said, standing up. “Follow me, and I will show you the rest of the place.”

  “Let me put this back first,” I said. I quickly went back to the aisle that we had found the book on premonitions on and placed it back in its slot.

  Yo
u are a killer.

  I tensed and looked around. It was the voice. My voice. The one that had been speaking to me. Why would my twin, if I truly had one, want to say these things to me?

  You are a killer, it said again. And you will pay.

  I closed my eyes a moment, took a deep breath, and then opened them again. There was nothing but silence. I could get through this. I walked out of the book section I was in and followed Thomas to the next part of the Headquarters.

  Thomas led me through the various rooms of the San Francisco Headquarters such as the ballroom, the guest rooms, and also some private conference rooms that were used when meeting with important officials, either from the Council or from actual government officials. I continued to be amazed by the hustle and bustle of people moving about the Headquarters when compared to the rather quiet atmosphere of the London Headquarters.

  “I just can’t get over all of the people,” I said to Thomas. “It really makes me feel like Mathias isn’t in the best place right now. He’s consumed in his work and refuses to let others in. I’m his daughter and it was hard, even for me, to gain a sense of trust with him. Plus, I kept suspecting him all the time because of the way he acted, when in actuality he was just trying to protect me.”

  “Well,” Thomas replied, “as I said before, Mathias is unfortunately known for being reclusive. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the Council tries to step in soon and retire him from his duties.”

  I looked at him, surprise written all over my face. “You think they’d do that?”

  “Oh, yes,” Thomas added. “Unfortunately, even with Winston gone, Mathias still isn’t liked amongst those in the Council.”

  I shook my head in frustration. “They just don’t understand him. If they did, if they’d really take a moment to understand what he’s been through, I think they would see things differently.”

  Thomas nodded. “Perhaps. Have you spoken to him recently?”

  “I’ve sent letters,” I responded. “But he’s never written back. I don’t know if he’s trying to just avoid me, or if he’s upset with me. Even I still can’t understand everything about him.”

  “If you’d like,” Thomas said, “I can show you how to reach him directly. You could send a direct message with your pocket watch.”

  Another look of surprise crossed my face. “You can send a message with the pocket watch?”

  Thomas laughed. “I’ve got quite a bit to teach you, I see. But yes, you can send messages with the pocket watch. That is your main tool as a Timekeeper. You never want to be without it. Speaking of it, do you have yours with you? I need to program it so that you will be connected with those here at the San Francisco Headquarters.”

  I pulled out my pocket watch and handed it to him. He opened it and started messing with some dials inside it. He leaned over to show me what he was doing as he did so.

  “If you flip this dial here,” Thomas said, gesturing to the right side of the pocket watch, “you can change it from a clock to an alphabet. And then you just use the dials that you would use to set the time to type in your message. At the beginning of your message, simply put attention to and the name of the Timekeeper. You want to be wary though. All messages are sent directly to the Central Headquarters, monitored, and then processed.

  “A Timekeeper at Central Headquarters will read your message, censor it if necessary, and then send it on to the appropriate party. This is why you receive your pocket watch from the Council. They calibrate everything at the Central Headquarters and then send everything on to the appropriate party.”

  “You said they censor the messages?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Thomas said. “Therefore, you don’t want to send anything, well, inappropriate. It’s okay for you to send a simple message to Mathias asking why he hasn’t been communicating, but in most cases, you should simply use the messaging on the pocket watch for Timekeeping-related purposes.”

  “How is this all possible?” I asked.

  “It all has to do with the Time Line,” Thomas responded. “All of our Time Lines are created from the main Time Line at the Central Headquarters. All of that energy, or whatever you want to call it, well it’s all connected. And supposedly, that energy comes from the original Time Line, which again has never been found, but what you’ve told me indicates otherwise. But that’s a discussion for another day. I need to show you my study. Follow me.”

  Thomas handed me back the pocket watch and then led me down the hallway we were in to a set of large, oak double doors at the end. As soon as he reached them, he pushed them open rather dramatically. The room they led into was breathtaking. Books upon books lined the shelves along the walls.

  “You have two libraries?” I asked.

  “Two is always better than one,” he replied.

  I smiled and admired the large fireplace that stood at the center of the room, a fire crackling in the grate. At various places in the room were cushy leather chairs and couches that looked like they would be quite comfortable. In the middle of the room was a long table with several chairs. I assumed it to be some kind of conference table where Thomas would have meetings. And of course, just by the fireplace was Thomas’ wooden desk. It looked as if it had been hand-crafted. I was making my way to it when a glint from above the fireplace caught my eye. I looked up to see a long sword hanging beautifully on the wall.

  I looked at Thomas and gestured toward the sword. “Can I ask about that?”

  “It’s a family heirloom,” Thomas replied. “My grandfather, Reginald Jane, fought in the Civil War. He came back with that sword and I’ve always kept it.”

  “Timekeepers fought in the war?” I asked.

  “Not exactly,” Thomas said. “I never knew my birth mother. She and my father married, had me, and then she left. She was the Timekeeper whereas my father was not. After she left, her father needed someone to pass the Headquarters on to so that they could technically keep it in the family and pass it on to me. So they initiated my father into Timekeeping. It’s rare, but it can be done. My father did it for as long as he needed to, trained me, and now, here I am.”

  I had thought he had told me previously that his mother had died, but I didn’t question it at the moment. It also didn’t feel like the time to question him on what might be a sensitive subject. So, I decided to inquire about all of the people bustling about.

  “What about all of these other people?” I asked. “Don’t they have families and Headquarters they will run someday?”

  Thomas shook his head. “Not every Timekeeper will end up running a Headquarters. Some will serve as assistants, some will work on the Council, and others might do those jobs that must be done, such as monitoring and censoring messages sent via pocket watch.”

  I laughed. “That sounds awful.”

  “I suppose it probably would be,” Thomas said. “Now, how about we take a look at the Time Line.”

  Thomas led me through a door at the side of the room and we were suddenly in a long hallway that stretched a long way. At the very end, I could see the Time Line, a constant, solid blue like the one in London, floating in midair. Directly behind us was a set of stairs.

  “Where do those lead?” I asked.

  “Another entrance,” Thomas said. “Those stairs will take you out through the San Francisco Ferry Building.”

  I nodded and followed Thomas down the hallway. When we arrived at the end, he reached out and slid the Time Line with his fingers so it went through all the various dates in the history of America.

  “Well,” Thomas said, taking a step back, “I believe that is everything.”

  “Timekeeper Jane.”

  We both turned to see the same girl from earlier walking down the hallway. She smiled at me as she approached and then turned her attention to Thomas.

  “Alma,” Thomas said, “please call me Thomas. Timekeeper Jane is so formal.”

  Alma giggled and then said, “Councilor Keaton is in conference room two for you. She wanted a briefin
g about your meeting with President Roosevelt.”

  Thomas nodded and then turned to me. “Well, this is where I will leave you Abigail. Feel free to explore some more, of if you’d like to return to your job, you’re more than welcome.”

  My job. I had almost forgotten I had a job I needed to be doing in the San Francisco library. Thomas turned to walk away, but then turned back again.

  “Abigail?”

  I looked at him.

  “Would you care to join me for a night out? Nothing special, just to get to know each other. I thought we could go out tomorrow, after you get off at the library.”

  A night out. I knew I was probably giving him a strange look, but I quickly tried to hide it. As much as a part of me felt like I shouldn’t, I told him I would. He smiled and walked away, leaving me there with Alma.

  “I didn’t introduce myself earlier,” Alma said, holding out her hand. “I’m Alma James. I’m Thomas’ back-up when he isn’t here.”

  “Abigail Jordan,” I said, shaking her hand. “So you’re going to take over once Thomas retires?”

  Alma laughed at that. “I was only joking. I’m like you, a Timekeeper in training. However, I haven’t been fully initiated yet. In regards to your question though, I would love to do that one day, but that would only happen if he didn’t have any children. Otherwise, it would go to them, unless they didn’t want it. They really like to keep things in the family in the Timekeeping world. And I really don’t think Thomas is going to have a problem finding a wife to have children with someday.”