Perfectly Timed

by Jamie Campbell

  I start to follow them, I’m fascinated by these gorgeous little creatures. They are all so happy, laughing and playing amongst themselves. I want to eat them all up they are so cute.

  Outside, the teacher throws a ball onto the dusty ground which sends up a rusty colored cloud. The cloud grows even bigger as a bunch of kids run to be the first one to pick it up. A little boy wins and runs off, chased by his classmates.

  I can’t help but giggle at all the fun they’re having. They are probably poorer than anyone from where I’m from but they run around regardless of their troubles. It’s crazy to think my friends and I were all so obsessed with having all the right labels and none of it made us as happy as this.

  A warmth in my right hand surprises me. I look down and there is a small hand in my own. It belongs to a little girl, she’s probably only about five or six years old. Her head barely reaches the top of my leg.

  It registers in my brain that this girl can see me. She couldn’t have stumbled across my hand by accident, it would have been impossible if I was still invisible. But how can it be that she can see me? Can anyone else? Nobody has told me to get out of the children’s playground or asked me what I’m doing here.

  “Can you play with me?” The squeaky voice comes through crystal clear. The kid even knows to speak English, perhaps she’s not one of them? Could she be a time traveler too? Hopefully not at that age, that would be terrifying.

  “I would love to,” I reply. There is no way I can refuse those deep brown eyes. She leads me further into the playground and picks up a skipping rope. She hands one end to me and we skip together in unison. I haven’t skipped rope in years, not since I was the same age as the girl. I can’t stop giggling like a lunatic as we miss our jump and get tied up in the rope.

  “You’re funny,” the little girl says as she points at me. I give her a hug, not caring about how foolish I am. I know I’m uncoordinated, there is no way to hide that kind of thing.

  “You’re funny too,” I laugh back at her. Suddenly my eye catches another little girl at the edge of the playground. She’s sitting by herself, hugging her knees to her chest as she stares at the ground.

  She probably can’t see me, but I can’t ignore her. Everyone else seems to be doing a good job of that. “What’s her name?” I ask my little companion.

  “Banka, she’s new.”

  “Perhaps you should play with her?”

  “I’m playing with you.” She shuffles in place, unsure how she is supposed to react.

  “We could all play together?” I suggest, hoping to unite the pair. They look to be around the same age.

  “I don’t know.” She seems unsure, I don’t want to make her uncomfortable, not when she has been so kind to me.

  “I’m going to go talk to her, maybe you should play with the others until we’re done.” She seems pleased with this suggestion, I’ve given her an out of playing with the new kid. I don’t want to make her unpopular with the other kids, I know how they can be with someone who doesn’t fit in.

  I wander slowly over to the girl, Banka, looking for any sign that she might be able to see me. I can’t wrap my head around how they can so I won’t believe it until I see some kind of recognition.

  She doesn’t acknowledge me as I sit on the ground beside her. I wait, trying to be quiet so I don’t startle her if I’m still invisible. It’s not really my intention to scare kids throughout time and space. I’d like to be known for something more productive.

  “Who are you?” Banka’s voice is so quiet I can barely hear it.

  “My name is Ella. I’m told yours is Banka, is that right?” I speak quietly too so I don’t intimidate her. She nods slightly and looks at me, now I’m certain she can see me.

  Surely both of the little girls couldn’t be time travelers? I haven’t been seen by anyone other than Noah in two years. I want to shout with joy but I’m worried at the same time. I might be in much more danger if people can see, I will always look like the odd one out.

  “Your skin is white,” Banka points out, her voice making it sound partly like a question. I push the thoughts whirling in my head to the side, concentrating only on the here and now.

  “Yes, I’m not from around here. My home is a long way away. Are you new to this school?”

  “I started a few days ago,” she mumbles, obviously a touchy subject. It suddenly occurs to me that she isn’t speaking English. The words that come out of her mouth are in a language I don’t understand. Yet when it processes in my brain, I can translate it. The same goes for when I speak.

  We are communicating in her language. I have no idea how it’s happening but it’s beyond cool. It’s never been like this in other countries before. I want to keep talking to test it out, even if I didn’t feel so sorry for Banka.

  “New schools are hard, but it gets better when you make some friends. Have you spoken to anyone here?”

  “No, they don’t like me.”

  “How do you know that if you haven’t talked to them?” My voice sounds so foreign to me. “Perhaps they are just too shy to introduce themselves to you.”

  Banka looks up at me, I can imagine her thoughts running through her head as she thinks it over. “Do you really think so?”

  I nod, even if I don’t believe it entirely. At least it might be true for some of the kids. “I think the only way to make friends is to join in. They won’t turn you away for trying. Would you like me to come with you?”

  She smiles and nods back at me. We stand together and I take her hand. The warmth of her little fingers gripped around my own is nice, a feeling I haven’t felt for years.

  It warms my heart more than I ever expected something like that could. I’ve never realized just how much I have changed since I started time travelling. I do miss human contact, even I could never admit it to myself until now.

  I lead her over to the middle of the playground where all the other kids are kicking the ball to one another while they stand in a circle. I stand beside Banka as we watch the ball go back and forth.

  Suddenly, the ball comes our way. I step to the side to give Banka room to kick it to someone else. She glances my way before taking a lunge and sending the ball flying back to the group. The grin on her face is immense as she’s proud of herself.

  Before long, it comes our way again. Banka doesn’t need any encouragement this time to kick the ball. She sends it flying and the others all laugh as one of the boys has to hurry to catch it before it leaves the circle. Kick by kick, they’re accepting Banka. She’s laughing and giggling just as much as those around her.

  I step back from the circle as I feel the pulling. I expected it this time, I know my job here is done. Noah was right, we are sent to places for a reason and this time it was to help a little girl be accepted by her schoolmates. I doubt I’ve made a huge impact on her life but it’s something little to help her along. Perhaps all those little things eventually add up over time.

  I’m amazed that Noah figured that out by himself. If I had never crossed paths with him, I might never have worked it out. As far I knew, whatever I was doing was pointless. Besides starting a few ghost stories, I didn’t think I was having any impact on the places I was visiting. But I was, my presence mattered, even if I didn’t believe it.

  Now I know why I’m visiting places, I don’t want to be in the dark again. I don’t want to wander around aimlessly and just wait to be pulled away again. If I can actively seek out my mission and accomplish it, perhaps I can also control when and where I go? It’s a long shot but it gives me enough hope to think I might have a say over my life again one day.

  I keep my eyes closed until my feet hit solid earth. Instantly, I’m freezing cold. The contrast from the heat of the Indian village is sudden and abrupt. I hug myself, trying to preserve my warmth as I open my eyes.

  I have to blink a few times to see everything, but even then my surroundings are still white and blurry. It’s snowing, or more like a snow storm. The ground underneat
h my feet isn’t dirt but ice. I can barely see any more than a few feet in front of me.

  I start to move, if I don’t I know I’m going to freeze to death. Perhaps I’ve gone so far back in time I could be frozen with the last wooly mammoth? Is this the ice age I’ve heard so much about in Ancient History class? I hope there aren’t any cave people running around looking to kill anyone who they don’t recognize.

  The wind is really strong, I have to struggle just to stay upright. Already I can’t feel my nose and my eyes are stinging with the cold wind. I have no idea if I’m actually getting anywhere or if I keep being knocked back into place. I could even be walking around in circles for all I can figure out.

  There seems to be nothing in every direction, but all I can see is white fuzz so I can’t judge it. It only takes me minutes to be completely disorientated. I try to walk in a straight line but the gale force winds move me off my trail.

  I’m only getting colder, I think the freeze has made it into my bones. It hurts to move but I have to keep willing my limbs to continue on. If I give up then I’m literally going to freeze to death. I don’t think it would end like a movie where they can just thaw me out and I’ll suddenly spring back to life. I’m pretty sure that’s impossible in real life.

  I keep going, at least my thoughts keep me from collapsing into a sobbing mess. My tears would probably freeze before they leave my eyes. It wouldn’t surprise me.

  I run smack bang into something and bounce off it, right onto my butt. Looking up, I realize it’s a door. I’ve found a building, the relief is overwhelming. Cavemen wouldn’t have had doors, I’m not hundreds of thousands of years in the past after all. I may just survive.

  The door is unlocked, thankfully. I guess security wouldn’t be a big deal out here considering nobody is around—time travelers excluded of course. I open the door carefully, remembering I can be seen now. No more sneaking around and just being quiet to survive anymore.

  I step inside and close the door behind me. The warmth is instant and wonderful. I don’t ever want to be that cold again—never. If I don’t ever have to step outside, I’ll be happy. Hopefully whatever I have to do in this time will be located indoors.

  For the first time, I look around at my surroundings. I freeze, I’m not alone. Two eyes are staring right back at me, as wide and open as my own.

  Chapter 10

  “Who are you?” a man asks, he’s not more than a meter in front of me. He can obviously see me, I guess the whole invisible thing is gone for good now. The room we are in is tiny, no bigger than a prison cell. He’s got a thick beard, white hair runs through the brown. It makes him look older than he is, I don’t think he can be more than thirty.

  “My name is Ella. Who are you?”

  He holds a knife but I don’t think he wants to use it on me. He doesn’t look like the murdering kind, whatever they look like.

  “Alex. How’d you get here?”

  “It’s a really long story.”

  “Are you here to study the ice shifts too?” His gaze is intense, it is almost too much to keep looking at him.

  I want to say yes but then he might expect me to be able to talk about ice shifting or whatever he said. I will never be able to bluff my way out of that. “No, I’m just here.” Could I be any more vague?

  Alex puts his knife down, tucking it away in a drawer on a desk. He stares at me while I look everywhere else but at him. The room contains the desk and a tiny television. It looks like there is another room behind him.

  “How are you ‘just here’?” he asks. It’s a fair question but I don’t have an answer. I wonder if the truth will be enough to throw him off track?

  “I’m a time traveler.” I shrug a little, not really caring what he believes. I’m here to do something specific before I can move on to another time and place. If this guy is the only one around, I guess I’ll be working with him—regardless of whether he believes me or not.

  Alex purses his lips, he’s actually thinking about my answer. He’s either very gullible or very open-minded. If someone had told me they were a time traveler once, I would have laughed in their face. And then I would never have spoken to them again because they were such a liar I could never trust them. But not my friend Alex here, he is different.

  “What year is it?” he says. I have no idea, but I guess that was his point. I look at his clothes, trying to figure out what decade he might belong in. His navy cardigan is too non-descript to tell me anything. I take a guess.

  “Nineteen-sixty-three?”

  He laughs and I can feel my cheeks starting to blush. It’s not my fault I’m so clueless. “It’s nineteen-ninety-four. But good guess, you got the century right. That doesn’t prove you’re a time traveler, though. You could have just said anything other than what you knew was the truth.”

  I shrug. “You don’t have to believe me, I’m not asking you to.”

  “Do you want a cup of tea?” He completely ignores my comment. I nod, a steaming hot tea would be delicious after the freezing cold from outside. My face and hands are burning as they start to thaw.

  He retreats into the other room and I hesitate before following him. I have to remember that I am here for a purpose, it’s not a random time and place. Whatever I need to do, I can get it over and done with and then move on. Hopefully to somewhere Noah is. I want to tell him his theory is right, he has to know.

  I watch as Alex sets two mugs down and boils a saucepan of water over a little single hotplate. The other room is just as small as the first. It contains a camping bed and a few shelves that must be his kitchen. There is one more door, I’m hoping that leads to the bathroom. Overall, the little house is tiny. You could only fit two Ikea installations into the place.

  It’s too quiet in the room. I can’t stay silent any longer. He hasn’t kicked me out into the blizzard outside, so I should make some effort. “So you’re studying ice movement here?”

  “Ice shifts, yes. It’s all part of a study about global warming. We think there might be a problem.”

  I have to suppress a laugh, should I even tell him he’s right or would it ruin the surprise? Somehow, I don’t think I’m supposed to give away secrets of the future. I stay quiet, just in case I impact upon something big. I wouldn’t want him to give up on his studies and change the future.

  “So where are we?” I ask instead, changing the subject. It doesn’t sound very exciting watching ice shifting. It’s probably a lot like watching paint dry.

  “You tell me,” he challenges.

  “I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking.” Was it always this difficult talking to people? I haven’t done it in two years and it seems much harder than it did. The kids in India were a lot easier to make sense of.

  His face relaxes into a smile, perhaps I’m winning him over. “Fine, I’ll play along. We’re in Antarctica, that’s at the bottom of the world.”

  “I know where Antarctica is,” I reply, sounding more sarcastic than I intended. “Are you here by yourself or are there more of you studying the ice?”

  “Depends, are you planning on killing me in my sleep?” He laughs, but it’s still a little nervous so it betrays the seriousness of his question.

  “Not unless you don’t answer my questions,” I joke. He hands me the mug of tea, at least he trusts me with hot liquid. “Thank you.”

  “Yes, I’m the only one here. A few other scientists are in the country but they aren’t anywhere near my zone. I’m the only one studying the ice.”

  “What are they studying?”

  “The wildlife, mainly. One guy is conducting experiments on the water but he’s a bit loopy so I stay away from him.”

  I think they’re all a bit loopy for staying here in freezing cold isolation but I don’t want to say as much. I keep my mouth shut, I don’t want to put him on edge any more than I already have. I get the feeling he isn’t the most social of creatures.

  “So how do you travel through time?” he asks, breaking the awkward
silence again. He sits on the bed while I take the only seat in the room.

  “It just happens, I don’t have any control over it.”

  “When did you start doing it?”

  “Four years ago.” It feels good to talk about it, despite the fact he doesn’t believe me. At least it’s making the time pass faster. When I was invisible I would have just had to linger here, watching him from the sidelines. It would have been difficult in the small confines.

  “So you actually belong to one time?” He sounds sincere. I think he’s actually starting to come around to the idea that I’m telling the truth.

  “It’s 2018 where I belong.”

  “So you weren’t even born in this year? Unless you’re a lot older than you look, anyway.”

  I shake my head. “I’m sixteen. There’s still a few years before my birth.”

  He studies my face, a little too intensely for my liking. Finally, he breaks out into a smile. “You’re actually telling the truth, aren’t you? You can travel through time.”

  “I told you I was.”

  “This is amazing. Has anyone studied you?”

  “No,” I reply, offended. I’m not something to be studied like the ice. I’m a person just like everyone else. Besides, it wouldn’t matter anyway. I bounce around so much nobody would ever get the chance to study me for more than a few days. “I’m just like everyone else, except I don’t have a say about where I am.”

  “That’s fascinating. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen?” He appears to be genuinely interested and not just teasing me. I have to say, Alex is growing on me.

  I think about all the times and places I’ve been to. I’ve seen some amazing and weird things, it’s difficult to pick just one. Could it be the time when I was in London during the war and we were hiding in the tube station and people were singing so they couldn’t hear the bombs overhead? Or the time when I was in Spain and watching the coronation of their King? I had seen so many things it was barely incomprehensible that it actually happened to me.