Lost Time (Time Out)

by Joshua Grant

  At first, I had trouble moving. It felt as if I were trying to run in a shallow pool full of molasses. The deeper I went into the portal though, the easier it seemed that I could move. The slight electrical charge I had felt earlier encompassed my entire body. The feeling wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but more of an uneasy feeling, like the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when going down on a Ferris Wheel.

  After a couple of seconds, my momentum slowed completely and I stopped. Afraid to open my eyes, I tried taking in all of my senses. I felt a rise in the temperature. It was probably about 55 degrees in my professor’s office, but now it felt like a near perfect 75 degrees. I felt something beneath my feet. Was that… grass? “No way!” I breathed. Were those crickets I heard? I thought maybe I was going crazy, as crazy as my professor. Maybe I had hit the wall and this was all just one big hallucination. Slowly and cautiously, I opened one eye, then the other. What I saw literally took my breath away.

  Chapter 2

  I found myself standing in the middle of what appeared to be a large garden. No, the word “garden” could not fully describe this place. I was in a Utopia. Lush green grass, trees of every description, and a sense of intense peace such that I have never imagined, or felt. A gentle breeze caressed my face, the air was warm, the temperature just right. Because of the lush green surrounding me, I expected to feel some mugginess, but I didn’t. I stood still for several moments, admiring the beauty that surrounded me. Finally, I turned around, taking in the scenery around me with a deep sense of appreciation.

  To the east, I saw the soft glow of the sun rising just beyond the hills in the distance, creating a sunrise so beautiful that it would make the most hardened of criminals cry; the colors of sherbet orange, deep purple and blazing pink so gorgeous I swallowed hard in wonder. I continued to look around, thinking to commit to memory everything I saw; insects awakening to a new day; bees humming, rabbits peeking out from beneath nearby shrubbery, and numerous animals grazing on the open fields below where I stood. I marveled as I watched a deer step bravely from the shelter of a stand of trees to my left, not a bit of timidity halting its movements. I smiled when a pair of squirrels approached, bushy tails flicking back and forth in curiosity, amazed when they came right up to me, devoid of fear. One of them climbed onto my shoe, seemingly content to explore the scents clinging to the bottom of my pants. Then the pair playfully chattered and chased each other around my feet before running off into the woods.

  I turned around in a circle, taking in the sights, a smile lifting the corners of my mouth. It was so beautiful here, so serene. To my left I saw a pond that had the clearest water I had ever seen, so clear that it was more like a mirror than water. Frogs near the pond’s edge croaked in happy content while dragonflies flitted over the surface of the water. For a moment, my thoughts turned to my grandfather, who had passed away the summer before. He would have loved to see this place, I thought, my heart warming at the sight.

  To my right, I saw a beautiful tree standing in the middle of an open, grassy field. The tree looked quite old, as its canopy covered a large expanse of ground, shaped much like an umbrella. Its trunk was huge, so large that I couldn’t have wrapped my arms around it. The tree forked in several places, branches thicker than my body supporting its weight as it ascended. Though the tree looked old, it appeared incredibly healthy, and I saw no scars, broken branches or dead limbs upon it. Bright splashes of color on the tree proved that it was indeed alive and well. The fruit's shape was similar to an apple, yet darker. Actually, the sight of the fruit unnerved me a little bit. They were such a dark red that they almost looked like they had been dipped in blood.

  I turned momentarily from the tree, spying a path that appeared to lead away from this section of the garden and off into the distance. I stood still for a long while, just taking in the sights. Finally, I sighed and looked behind me. There, I saw what looked like a huge mound of dirt. “This is certainly out of place,” I mumbled. I stared at it for several moments before stepping closer for a more in-depth examination.

  It didn’t look like a natural formation, but more like someone had dug up some dirt elsewhere and dumped it here in a neat pile. Upon a closer inspection, I realized it wasn’t dirt at all. Actually, it looked more like newly washed-up sand on a beach. It carried a vague hypnotic quality to it, which I only realized after several minutes of blankly looking at it. I didn’t break out of my trance until I heard the voice. It came out of nowhere, but a voice that seemed to surround me. I spun around, but saw no one. The voice seemed to rumble low at first, making it difficult to make out the words, much like trying to make out what announcers were saying in a packed football stadium. The tone echoed slightly throughout the valley, but not like what you would hear from a stadium sound system – but more like the deep, resonant voice you’d hear when someone called to you from afar. As the sound grew louder, it took on an even deeper rumbling resonance. I glanced around again, and noticed that the animals, insects and birds had seemed to freeze in place, as if they too heard and responded to the voice. The birds and insects continued to fly, but they hovered in the air like helicopters, as if waiting for something. Small animals that had been grazing nearby lifted their heads, turning to the east. I also turned to look, but saw nothing there.

  Then, as the voice continued to speak and I looked around, the sound grew clearer, deeper, and seemed to reverberate in the very depths of my soul. At that moment, I knew the source of the voice. I knew it had to be the voice of none other than God himself. At my realization, the sound changed and grew closer, so close it seemed to resonate from my inner self. The ground beneath my feet trembled slightly and I saw small ripples skidding across the surface of the nearby pond. There is no way to accurately describe the voice. It exuded power and gentleness at the same time. The voice thundered through the mountaintops, moving the air around me. The tips of the pine trees swayed gently, while leaves on deciduous trees quivered and trembled like those of aspens I had seen in the mountains one time. I dropped to my knees in fear.

  “Let us make man in our own image,” the voice boomed. “After our likeness… and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

  A sudden, strong gust of wind swept up from behind me and plowed straight into the pile of sand in front of me, blowing it everywhere. Bits of sand stung my face and I jumped back. My ears ringing with the sound of the voice, I focused my gaze on the former pile of sand, which wasn’t a pile anymore. Something seemed out of place, I thought, and then realized what it was; the mound was no mere mound of sand, but a moving mass shaping into the form of a man! My heart pounded with excitement as I glanced around, and then dared to look closer. I continued to stare at the sandy mound, trying to make sense of what I saw. I realized that there was no man in the sand, that it was just in the shape of a man… or so I thought. As I stared in shock, the shape started to take on human features. I saw details such as eyelashes; fingernails and toenails appear on the growing figure as I stared in amazement. I saw strands of hair start to take shape, lengthen and cover the scalp; I saw the definition of muscles as arms and legs took shape, and a nose and mouth appeared on its face. These kinds of details were just not possible to create in a sand sculpture. Then, to my further shock, the sand began to smooth out until it was a more fleshy texture, similar to human skin. As if that wasn’t enough, the skin started to take on a pinkish hue. Whatever it was, it looked exactly like the real thing.

  At this point, I decided to hide myself in some of the dense foliage. After all, I didn’t know what was going to happen, or what to expect from the form. I watched as this man, now fully complete, stood up out of the pile of sand. He – I can only describe this shape as a man, shook off bits of sand clinging to his skin and then took a few tentative steps, as if testing out his legs for the first time. He looked like a man, he moved like a man, he�
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  Out of nowhere, a flash of bright light filled the area. I jumped, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest as I cringed, and then looked up just in time to see a beautiful, heavenly being descend out of the sky. The heavenly being shone bright, so bright you’d think I would have to shield my eyes from the sight, but I didn’t. The light was imbued with an ethereal quality, undulating as it moved. The light, for some inexplicable reason, warmed me and touched my heart. The beauty of this being was incomprehensible. This being, who must be God, began to converse with this newly-formed man, which by now I had realized must be Adam. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear them, for God now spoke in a very quiet tone to the man-figure. I didn’t dare sneak closer for fear of getting caught.

  Still, after several moments, my sense of curiosity got the better of me, and I was about to overcome my fear and sneak a little closer. Just then, I heard a loud whoosh, and a huge tree trunk slammed into the ground not two feet from me. I stared at the tree trunk in dismay, and then looked upward, eyes wide and braced to run, when I realized this was no ordinary tree. In fact, this was no tree at all… it was a dinosaur! Confused, my first thought was to identify the dinosaur – brontosaurus. For a moment, I was pleased with myself because I was able to identify the creature from what I’d learned in elementary school. Then, I realized how crazy that was, because I should be more concerned about getting stepped on than patting myself on the back for my acumen. For some reason I can’t explain, I remained where I was, certain that the huge animal wouldn’t step on me. Don’t ask me why I thought that, but I did. I felt an incredible sense of safety here, mostly due to the presence of that white light that I was sure was God.

  As I turned my attention from the dinosaur and back to the sand-man and God, the thought came to my mind that this must be the part where Adam named all the animals. I grew excited. I was going to witness one of the greatest moments in the history of mankind.

  I sat still from behind the brush for what seemed like hours as I watched animal after countless animal parade in front of Adam. He smiled at each one, gave a little nod, and then his lips moved, likely naming the animal, though I hid too far away to hear his voice. In my own mind however, I named the animals as he had given them so many centuries ago. Some of the animals I recognized, like the bears, crocodiles, and gorillas (just to name a few). Others, however, I had only seen in textbooks or museums. I stared in awe as I watched a saber-toothed tiger, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a Stegosaurus stomp by me. My heart thumped as they came so close I felt their heat and heard their breathing. The ground trembled beneath me, like the vibrations of my dorm room floor when I cranked up the bass in my stereo system (until the ‘dorm police’ came and told me to turn it down). I could go on for another hour or so describing all those animals, but I won’t bore you with that.

  Through all of this, I noticed that Adam looked reflective, even a little sad. While he smiled gently for the animals, I had noticed that the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He seemed content, almost as if he felt he were just doing his job, but he didn’t seem to be especially happy. I knew that feeling. He sighed, nodded to another pair of animals and then paused to look around, as if he had heard something out of place among the sounds of animals waiting patiently before him.

  I felt something odd, a slight, warm draft of air around me, heavy with energy. The hair on my arms stood straight up from my skin, and the back of my neck crawled. I hunched, an instinctive response with me when I felt trouble coming, I must admit. However, it wasn’t trouble that had appeared. There, beside Adam, I watched as the moving air seemed to shift and take on an undulating appearance, a mass of energy that shone once again with the brightest light I had ever seen. That light exuded such a deep sense of love that I felt an emotional lump rise in my throat. Then, I watched as God bent down and leaned his head toward Adam’s. His head turned slightly so that Adam’s mouth was next to his ear. I saw Adam whisper something. After Adam’s mouth stopped moving, God stood. His form looked more human now, though still shrouded with that brilliant light and energy. He then touched Adam on the forehead with his fingertip, and Adam promptly fell to the ground, as if unconscious. Was this the deep sleep that the Bible talked about? It must be—

  “You can come out from behind those bushes now,” God said.

  My heart almost dropped right out of my body. I had been caught! Looking back on that particular moment, I realize how foolish I was to think that God didn’t know that I was there the entire time. After all, God knows everything.

  Out of nowhere, a wave of calm swept over me, much like the ocean coming in at high tide. I felt surrounded and comforted by the sense of calm, so I stepped out from behind the bushes. Adam continued to lie still on the ground. The animals began to graze, ignoring me. I had not even been able to take one step forward before I felt an overwhelming urge to lay prostrate on the ground before him. I cried aloud as I fell to the ground. “I’m not worthy to even be in your presence!”

  “No, you’re not, God replied. “But through the blood of my son, Jesus Christ, you are. But, that’s another story. Come here, my child,” God said.

  Again, that overwhelming wave of calmness swept over me and I stood. I wasn’t brave enough to dare look up at his face just yet. I stared at the ground, waiting to be scolded like a child. I knew I deserved it.

  “Do you know why you’re here?” God asked.

  “I’m here because I found the T.O.M. device, right?” I asked, a hint of doubt in my voice making it more of a question than a statement.

  “Who do you think led you to that thing?” God asked.

  His response startled me and I glanced up, surprised to see the slight grin on his face.

  “You know, that was a very bad thing you did, sneaking into your professor’s office to get those exam answers, God said. “You should have come to me in prayer about preparing for your final exam rather than take it into your own hands. This little trip you’re embarking on will serve two purposes. First, it will serve as your punishment for doing that; by the end of your trip, you’ll understand what the punishment is. Second, it will serve as a spiritual awakening for you. After we finish our conversation here, I will not speak to you again for a while; some of these lessons you just need to learn for yourself. I'll drop in on you from time to time, though. One more thing… you won’t get far in these modern clothes. If you wore these clothes in most of the places you'll be going, you’d probably be taken for an idiot and be either arrested, stoned or killed, probably all three. Here’s a robe and a pair of sandals. These will get you safely through the rest of your trip.”

  God blew his breath over the bushes beside me, and when I blinked, I saw clothes and shoes laying in a neat pile on the ground. I grew cocky, another trait of mine that typically appeared when I grew nervous. “Oh, come on God! How come you didn’t just zap the clothes right onto my body?” I asked, my tone playful yet slightly sarcastic. I realized my mistake at once and looked at my feet, shoulders hunched. To whom did I think I was speaking? This wasn’t my homeroom teacher or a casual acquaintance at school… this was God! Before I could apologize, he spoke.

  “Be lucky you get clothes at all,” he said, his tone heavy with disapproval. “Even Adam doesn’t have any clothes yet.”

  I glanced up, humbled. Again I was surprised. God smiled at me and winked. God had a sense of humor? It was a new idea in my way of thinking.

  “So what do you think of this garden I created?” God continued.

  “It’s wonderful.” I said in a dazed tone. I knew full well that since God knew everything, he didn’t need any prior experience in creating things. Everything he did, everything he created, would be perfection, whether it was the first or the hundredth time. I should be so lucky.

  “Go explore the garden! You might as well enjoy yourself before the main event.”

  I glanced up again. God had spoken those word ‘main event’ in a somewhat ominous tone. I wracked my mind but couldn’t figure out what event he
might be talking about. I didn’t waste time, or God’s patience in trying to figure it out, but immediately obeyed God. I stepped further into the garden to explore and enjoy myself, leaving him to his work with Adam. After about five minutes or so of running through the foliage, I came to a clearing. To my amazement, I saw a lion lying in the middle of the clearing. I skidded to a stop, my heart pounding in alarm. I glanced quickly around for some avenue of escape. Trees and shrubbery grew thickly, no obvious path through the woods showing me the way to safety. Another glance into the clearing changed my mind. Amazingly, the lion was giving a lamb sitting next to him a tongue-bath! I had never seen a lion up close before, so I edged closer. He glanced at me and went right on bathing the lamb, which looked up at me and bleated. In spite of my confusion and near terror, I smiled. I stepped even closer (very hesitantly, of course) and then reached out my hand to pet the lion. My hand shook so much that I was worried it would fall off, but it finally made contact with the lion’s head. His broad skull was warm and solid beneath my touch, his fur short and still. I stroked my hand several times over his head, and even dared to scratch behind his ear. To my surprise, he emitted a short-lived purr. He lifted his head and licked my hand. I knelt down, not afraid anymore. He leaned slightly forward, his whiskers lightly brushing against my cheek before that long, rough and dark pink tongue flicked out and licked my cheek. This however, did not feel good at all. In fact, it felt more like someone using a power-sander on my face. I sighed, and stood, watching for several moments as the lion turned his attention back to the lamb. I took a few steps backward, once again seeking the shelter of the trees, where I took the opportunity to put on my new clothes.

  After I’d changed, I felt more adventurous than usual, so I returned to the lion and cautiously climbed on his back. He was massive, about the size of a small pony. He sighed. I wove my fingers through his long, luxurious mane and leaned down to rest my head on his, awed at the fact that I was truly sitting on a lion’s back. Who would believe this? No sooner had I relaxed however, before I felt muscles bulge beneath me. The lion rose in one easy move and shot forward like a freight train, tearing through the bushes like a hot knife through butter.