by C J M Naylor
"Hello!" I called out. "Who is there?"
"Abigail, what are you doing?" he took the note out of my hand and read it.
"What the hell?" he muttered under his breath. "Let's go. This place is giving me the heebie jeebies."
I stood there for a moment—looking out—hoping to see someone. Who left the note? Why had they been waiting? How could I come to them if they didn't tell me who they were? I got into the car feeling further away from the truth than I had when we had arrived.
CHAPTER EIGHT
"Please come into the shelter, Abby!"
I was in the back yard again. It was night and the only light came from the stars above and the moon. My mother stood a few feet ahead of me, a look of panic etched on her face.
"Abigail."
It was her voice again. I turned around and there she was. It was windy tonight and the wind whipped her hair around her face.
"You need to stay away," she said.
"Stay away from what?" I asked her.
"Time," she responded. "Within time, there is only darkness. Within darkness, there is only death."
I heard the sound of the planes and I looked up. They were flying over us, like birds in the sky. But they weren't birds.
The bombs dropped.
I sat bolt upright in my bed. I was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. It was still dark as I looked around my room. I looked over at the clock by my bed and could make it by the moonlight. It was 3:00 in the morning. Why was I having these dreams?
I fell backward on my mattress and stared up at the ceiling. Eventually, I drifted back to sleep.
"Abby."
I opened my eyes to my mother's face. She was leaning over me, smiling softly. I immediately sat up and pulled her to me tightly.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
She laughed quietly and rubbed my back before pulling away.
"I'm not angry with you honey," she said. "I just needed some time to think. I was angry with myself."
"Why would you be angry with yourself? You didn't do anything."
"Because we should have had this talk when you first found out you were adopted," she continued, "and because the man you think is your father is not your father."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out an old piece of folded paper and handed it to me. I gave her a questioning look before taking it and unfolding it. I quietly read it to myself. The handwriting was very sloppy, as if the person who wrote it was in a hurry or under some kind of pressure.
Whoever reads this has taken my daughter in. For that I thank you. I only have two requests that I hope you will honor. First, name her Abigail. It was my mother's name. Second, please tell her when she asks about her biological family (if she ever asks) that she has none. After I am finished writing this, she won't. I will be dead within the next few hours. Her father died not long after I was with child. We had no living relatives. Please care for her as if she were your own biological child. Her birthday is December 8, 1925.
-Her mother.
"The sisters at the orphanage said that she refused to give any information and insisted this be given to the adopting parents," my mother said.
“I thought you said I was left on the steps?”
"I felt it was only right to honor her request, so I never told you there was any communication between the orphanage and your mother. I realize now that this may have put her in a bad light for you, and I apologize for that, but Abigail, I'm not sure how you came to find this man who claims to be your father, but I am concerned for your safety."
I didn't look at my mother, because I knew she was wrong. My biological mother was lying. She had to be. There was too much evidence on Mathias' side to counteract what this letter said. And if Mathias was not my father, he at least knew my mother. He had pictures of her after all. But then I realized he hadn't shown me any. I had just bought into what he had told me. But I couldn't discount everything entirely. I knew now that I had to lie to my mother and that was the worst feeling in the world. But I had to.
"I won't see him anymore."
My mother smiled at me and pulled me in.
"I'm sorry this has happened," she said quietly. "But you're a young woman now and I trust you to make the right decisions."
I suddenly realized how easy it was to spin a web of dishonesty. After my mother left, I continued to wonder why my mother wouldn’t want me to know about this world. What if I interfered with a premonition of death? I would die. Why wouldn’t she want me to know that? Something just didn’t feel right about all of this.
As I made my way back to Parliament, I decided the only person I would confide this in would be Phillip. I didn't believe I was in danger. The only thing that was clear was my biological mother was trying to protect me from something, and whether she was telling the truth or telling a lie, I felt in my heart it was done for my protection. So, for now at least, I wouldn't tell Mathias or Ian about what I had discovered. Even though I still didn’t understand why my biological mother wouldn’t want me to know about my dying if I interfered with a premonition of death, I still knew that I was at least safe now. I was safe because I was learning about this world. I just had to be smart about things. As I approached the building, I could see Ian just ahead. He was waiting for me like he had previously.
"Why didn't you come yesterday?"
I suddenly felt guilty. It hadn't occurred to me that he had probably been waiting a while yesterday before deciding I wasn't coming.
"There were some things I needed to get done," I said. "Do you wait here for me every day?"
"I've actually been having premonitions of when you come," Ian whispered. "They've been coming in handy. But a lot of the time, when Mathias isn't teaching me that is, I like to stand up in the clock tower and watch the city. I can see you come that way as well."
Ian seemed like a simple person—someone who didn't need the world to make them happy—pleased by the simplest desires. I liked that about him.
"Can I ask you, well, does Mathias expect me to come every day?" I asked. "I mean, I guess I could, but I do have classes that I have to attend and such."
"I don't think he does, but you need to tell him what you want. He was expecting you to come yesterday, and you didn't. Let's go though. He's waiting for you now."
Ian led me into Parliament and then in the basement and down the lift.
Before long, I was standing in the middle of the study. Ian had gone off to do something and Mathias sat at his office desk, scribbling on a piece of paper, not bothering to look up at me.
I awkwardly cleared my throat. No response.
"Good morning," I said. No response.
I wanted to throw something at him. I was suddenly angry. Not only was he ignoring me this very minute, but he also he wouldn't tell me about my mother and wouldn't act like a "father." Was I just a student?
"I didn't realize I was obligated to come waste my time every day." I threw my bag down on the couch and sat down. I was startled and looked up when Mathias banged his hand on the table. His face was red and this time he was staring directly at me.
"What is your problem Abigail?" he yelled at me from across his desk. "Do you think this is a waste of time? Please tell that to whoever gave us this Timekeeping ability and let me know the response you get."
I didn't respond. My breathing was heavy and all I wanted to do was scream my head off. Due to my civil upbringing however, I refrained.
Mathias stood up and walked down the hallway off of the study. I sat there for a while, wondering what I should do. Was he going to come back? I looked around the room. It definitely held the exterior of an office or study. There was nothing that felt like a home. I think a little homeliness could've added some warmth to the place. I wished there was a picture of my mother somewhere, but there wasn't. It was only where he kept them locked away. Surely someone that was my father would keep pictures of his wife? I guess I could see why he wouldn't, but what my mother had told me was still n
agging me.
Approaching footsteps made my head turn back toward the hallway. Mathias was coming back. He was carrying what looked like a very old book. He sat it down on his desk and took his seat again.
"Today we are going to discuss more of the laws of Timekeeping," he said, "specifically a power that is forbidden to all Timekeepers."
I honestly couldn't believe he was just going to shrug off the outburst that we had just had. Weren't we even going to talk about it? I decided to say it.
"Show me a picture of my mother."
He looked up, flabbergasted. It took him a moment before he finally spoke.
"Why?"
We stared at each other for a moment. His eyes were questioning me, but mine, I knew, were doing the exact same thing to him. I figured we were both wondering about each other.
"I feel like I deserve that at least," I said. "Mathias, I have no idea if you are honestly telling the truth. You haven't given me any information to prove you are who you say you are. Give me this."
He didn't hesitate any longer. He opened a drawer on the side of his desk and reached in. Immediately he withdrew a tattered and worn looking photograph and handed it to me.
"I look at it every day."
I felt as if that was the first emotional thing I had heard him say. I took the photograph and immediately turned my eyes to it. My mother and Mathias were staring back at me. They both looked happy. My mother was exactly as I had dreamed her. She had beautiful blonde hair that fell down her back in curls. Her face was bright and happy. Mathias looked quite different. He was handsome like he was now, but younger. His face was vibrant and happy. It held no sadness or despair like I saw in it today. I handed the picture back to Mathias.
"Thank you." It was all I said.
Mathias took the picture from me and placed it safely back in his desk drawer. He cleared his throat and then turned his attention back to the book he had brought with him.
"Specifically," he began, again it was as if the moments we had just shared had never occurred, "we are going to talk about a force known as An Am Phorse feiniméin. However, it is more commonly referred to today as the forbidden powers because it is illegal and detected use of it will receive a Timekeeper immediate stripping of their duties."
"What language was that?" I asked.
"Gaelic," Mathias responded. "Most of the information we have is written in Gaelic. It is thought that if there were an original family, they were based in Ireland. But again, there is no confirmation of that."
I gave Mathias my undivided attention. He had given me something special today and I would give him my attention in return. The subject seemed interesting too. It also seemed to be pretty important to Timekeeping.
"The forbidden powers," Mathias continued, "are the deliberate abuse of the force of time."
"So is it when someone tries to take away someone's free will?" I asked him.
"No, this is something different. Taking away someone's free will is usually not done in spite or in wrongdoing, but more to prevent suffering. It is usually done as an act of good intention, resulting in horrific consequences."
Mathias turned the pages of the book to a specific page and began to look it over before speaking again.
"As in your world there is evil from regular humans, there is evil from Timekeepers in ours. This force is kind of like a spell for evil Timekeepers. After successful completion of the criteria, it allows a Timekeeper to use time in any way they please. While they cannot change time or mess with the balance of time, they can use the energy force of time itself to cause damage or harm to innocent people. They can also use this to gain immortality by using time as a means to keep them young."
Mathias reached out and handed the book to me. I gently took it, seeing how fragile it was, and turned my attention to the page before me.
An Am Phorse feiniméin
Use of this force has been deemed forbidden by the council. This force is used to abuse the energy force of time and used to cause damage or harm to innocents. This force can also be used to extend life. The criteria are as follows: The Timekeeper wishing to gain this force must take the life of another Timekeeper. The Timekeeper must then give up their soul to the forces of evil. The Timekeeper finally, must convince another Timekeeper to trust them completely. These three criteria are three of the most horrific acts in Timekeeping and are illegal to perform. As such, a Timekeeper who willfully performs these is no longer considered a Timekeeper, but a person of evil.
"So, there isn't a consequence?" I asked. "How come time won't react or anything?"
"If the force of time reacts, it faces the force of evil. Only the force of good is strong enough to face the force of evil. Have you ever thought of it like that before? I believe that is why."
I had no words to describe my feelings. Just like individuals in our world created weapons to harm others, so had these people. The acts that the book listed were horrible— irreparable. Why would anyone want to commit any of these acts? I could only imagine the horrors that would ensue if someone had access to this kind of power.
"Has it ever been done?" I asked.
"So far in Timekeeping history, to the knowledge of the council, no. However, it could definitely have occurred before the Timekeepers. Perhaps, in the Timekeeping family itself. If the myth is true, that is. There is a rumor that a small group of Timekeepers—evil Timekeepers—exists and may or may not have access to this power."
"Why is this even listed for Timekeepers to know about?" I asked, "this is dangerous information in the hands of the wrong person, isn't it?"
"But it is useful information in the hands of people who do not want to see this happen," Mathias countered.
I guess that was true. We had to know the horrible sins that could be committed if we wanted to prevent them. Then again, I hoped no one would ever want to commit these horrible acts.
"Well," Mathias said, "I know this information can be quite hefty so I think that will be all for today. Come back tomorrow if you can."
I didn't want to leave, however. I wanted to know more. I wanted to see more.
"Can you show me around this place?" I asked. "I mean, I'm sure there's more than just this study and that hallway." I gestured to the long narrow hallway. Mathias smiled at me; it was a genuine smile.
"Follow me," he said. He withdrew a ring of keys from his pocket and I followed him across the room to the hallway. Instead of going straight, like we normally would if we were leaving, we took a sharp right into a little crevice in the wall. Inside the crevice was a large wooden door. Mathias put one of the keys into the lock and turned. The door opened into a small room with a hole in the floor. A spiral staircase led downward.
Mathias shut the door as I entered the room and I began to follow him as he descended down the stairs of the spiral staircase. The further down we went, the darker it got. At one point I reached ahead and rested my hand on Mathias' shoulder so that I wouldn't lose him. His shoulder felt strong and rugged. It felt like the shoulder of a man who was a protector. I don't know why I thought it, but I just did.
Finally we reached the bottom of the staircase. A tall double wooden door stood in front of us. The shape of a clock was engraved into the doorway. There were no clock hands however. I found this strange. The times were written in numerical numbers.
"Why are there no clock hands?" I asked Mathias.
"This clock represents all of time," Mathias said, "all of time is unending and is not necessarily designated a specific time. Therefore, the clock means all time."
"Cryptic," I responded.
Mathias laughed and placed another key in this door. He then pushed against the doors and they swung open to reveal a large ballroom. I walked ahead of Mathias. My mouth was literally hanging open in awe. I gazed up at the vaulted ceilings. The room was circular. The walls were beautifully engraved with signs and symbols so ancient I wouldn't be able to even decipher them. The floor was marble, a beautiful dark, sleek marble.
/> "This room is used for gatherings," Mathias stated, "or Timekeeper weddings. When you take my place as Timekeeper, there will be a ceremony that will be celebrated in here. Your mother never saw this place. I wished she could have. The London ballroom is considered one of the fancier Timekeeper ballrooms if I say so myself."
I looked at Mathias. His attention was elsewhere; he was gazing around the room like I had been. I could tell he missed her. I could tell he would do anything to have her back. A part of me felt he had to have been telling the truth, but then a part of me continued to rest on the knowledge of my mother had told me.
"Where do you live?" I asked. I then decided to rephrase it somewhat. "I mean I know you live upstairs in the study, but where is your room? Where would people stay in this place?"
Mathias gestured to a door at the other end of the ballroom. "Let us move onward then. The London Headquarters is also known for its elegant rooms of rest."
I followed Mathias as he walked across the marble surface to the door at the opposite end of the ballroom. Once again, he turned another key. I really didn't understand why he locked this place up so tight. Was he expecting someone to break in?
The door he opened led to yet another set of stairs. We descended downward again into more unknown darkness. At the bottom of the stairs there was one last long hallway. There were two doors on each side and at the very end there was one tall door.
"This is my room," Mathias told me, beckoning toward the first door on the right. He opened the door and I looked into his room. It was very unkempt. Clothes were littered across the floor, books in various places, and his bed was not made.
"You could use some housekeeping," I told him.
He laughed and showed me the remaining three doors. Each one led into yet another spare room.
"If you ever want, you can stay here, he said.
I smiled. The gesture was nice, but I had no intention of living here. It was far too large in size for me and I felt like I would get lonely quite fast. But then I had a feeling. If I eventually took over for Mathias, wouldn't I have to live here? I shrugged the feeling off. It was not worth worrying over now.
