by D. S Mac
“Are we ready?”
“As we’ll ever be.”
Drake took her hand, then closed his eyes and willed forth his temporal powers. As they entered the fracture, Drake could feel the wetness of his cheeks dissipating as he anatomised. Once again, a feeling of weightlessness and serene calm washed over him, but this time he was focused. They had a goal to achieve, and humankind hung off their backs. As he didn’t know what the lab looked like, nor what 2018 looked like, he had to use every inch of his brainpower to guide the fractures into revealing what he wanted. With Fergus and Brendan at the front of his mind, he imagined them in white lab coats around computers and machinery. Several fractures showed themselves, and a glimpse of each one’s past flashed across the broken shards.
One showed a young Fergus. Even then, he had his long ginger locks, his beady eyes swelling with excitement as what could have only been his family poured vinegar down a paper mache volcano. As it erupted, Drake moved on to the next one.
A flash of Brendan, naked, gaunt and covered in dirt. He snapped his head around. Drake’s atoms flinched, he wasn’t sure how that was possible, but he still felt it. It felt like Brendan was staring at him through the window.
Drake moved on. The third fracture showed a lab. This was more like it. He focused on this image, willing it to show him more. Fergus strolled past the window, handsome, less damaged. Drake could hear a voice faintly calling out. He did everything he could to listen, but only a few words made it through.
“Are systems—” a static crackle “—McCarthy.” The voices faded. Drake knew this had to be it. It felt right. It looked right. He couldn’t stay there forever, peering through the windows of time. No, he had to go for it. Willing the fracture forward, they were swallowed into its fragmented mouth.
They emerged at the back of the lab. Brendan and Fergus had frozen in place, mouths scraping the floor. They pensively began to shuffle away.
“What on earth? Who… who are you?” Brendan’s voice was strange to hear. He sounded like a normal man. Much different to the animal-like husk his voice took on in the future.
“Stay back.” Fergus raised his hands. “We don’t want any trouble.” Even seeing Fergus like this was confusing. Drake had only ever known him like a soldier, strong-willed, full of fight. This man seemed nervous. If Drake thought about this too long, he would never be able to do it. This was what had to happen. At this moment, they were his enemy. They were humanity’s enemy. No matter what they would become.
Hannah’s arm twitched. Drake knew she was about to pull her gun out. In sync, they raised their weapons. Brendan’s and Fergus’s eyes shot wide. Drake could visibly see their bowels tightening. Brendan stepped forward.
“Please, why?” He placed his hands together, pleading.
“What you do today will destroy humanity.” Hannah’s directness shocked even Drake.
“That is preposterous. This is for clean energy. It will save humanity.” Brendan stumbled over his words, becoming increasingly irate. “We cannot and will not stop this.”
“Wait! Something doesn’t seem right, Dr Forrest. I think I believe them.”
Brendan scoffed.
Fergus threw him a look and continued, “What was that light? How did you get here?” His scientific curiosity pushed aside his fear.
“It is a fracture in time and space… This experiment, here today, will kick-start a chain of events that leads to humanity’s end.” Drake directed that at Fergus, seeing as he was the only one smart enough to listen.
“Enough of this shit!” Brendan’s outburst was sudden. He ran for the control panel. Fergus reached out to his friend and mentor, but it was too late. Drake could not let him start the machine. He swivelled with his gun. A loud crack resonated in the confined space. Everyone covered their ringing ears. Even in death, Brendan was still determined. He fell hard on the control panel, smothering the screens and peripherals with his blood.
Fergus fell to his knees, his back juddering as he cried for his friend. Hannah pointed her gun at Fergus. Drake reacted faster than a pouncing snake, grabbed her gun and pushed it down.
“We don’t need to kill him.” His firmness stopped Hannah in her tracks.
She nodded.
A barely noticeable flash of light flickered from within the machine’s chamber. Had Drake not been looking that way, he would not have seen it. He ran to the consoles. It had started. Something was charging up.
“Fuck, no.”
“What is it?” Hannah had appeared next to him.
“It’s started. We’re too late.” Drake ran over to Brendan’s body. It was slumped over the desk, his hand on a large red button. “He got to it…” He ran his hands through his hair. “We’re screwed.”
Hannah fell to the floor. Her legs weren’t able to take the massive strain of failure.
Drake stepped toward Fergus. “Fergus! How do we stop it?” He didn’t reply, so Drake grabbed hold and shook him with such force he could almost hear his brain rattling. “How?”
“I… I don’t know.”
Drake’s heart was pounding. His face flushed with anger. He was clenching his teeth so hard they almost turned to dust. He ran to the viewing window. There it was, humanity’s demise laughing at him. To his right was a door leading to the chamber. He smashed the button with his palm. It whooshed open, and he was met with the sound of mechanical whirring. The heat produced by the machine hit him like a wall. Sweat instantly dripped down his forehead and into his eyes. Drake wiped it away. He raised his gun and emptied the magazine. The mechanical whirring morphed into a fierce whine. A blinding phosphorus blast of light erupted as a shock wave sent him crashing back into the lab.
Chapter 41 - Life
Not often did Drake dream. Most of the time, when he did, it was nightmares. After everything he had been through, everything he had seen, it was expected. However, this morning, he woke up fresh, having dreamt about a happy future filled with love and joy.
He opened his eyes as the dream ended, or that was how it seemed, at least. A smile spread across his face.
“What are you smiling about?” Hannah stood next to the bed, every inch of her perfect body on display as she towel-dried her hair. Drake felt himself stirring beneath the duvet. He reached over, grabbed Hannah by the hips and pulled her on top of him. From her mouth erupted a childish giggle. Their lips locked, breathing heavily on each other as excitement flooded through their veins. Hannah slid a hand beneath the covers and down Drake’s toned body.
“Mummy! Daddy!”
They froze in place, faces flushed as if they had just been caught doing something they shouldn’t. They rolled their eyes and laughed. After a quick peck, Hannah pushed herself up.
“We’ll save this for a later time, boy.” She winked.
Drake laughed. “I’ll hold you to that. Now let’s go see what our little monster wants.” Drake beamed, his cheek muscles aching from use. He was not used to this, and he wasn’t sure if he ever would be. He finally felt complete. He finally belonged.
Breakfast, now that was something special. At the weekend, Drake always made pancakes. Unhealthy, sugary and downright bad for you. But who cared? He was slapping the last one onto a plate when tiny footsteps pattered into the room.
“Daddy.” Her infectious smile filled Drake with bliss. He spun around into a crouch as she barrelled into his arms. After smothering her with kisses, he set her back down.
“Love you, my gorgeous girl.”
“Love you too, Daddy. What are you making?”
“I am making… gruffalo’s toes,” he growled as he chased after her, smacking his lips. Her innocent giggling filled the kitchen. She ran toward Hannah, who had just appeared from upstairs.
Hannah swooped her up. “Daddy monster can’t get you now, Erica,” she said as she tickled Erica’s belly. Erica bucked and shook from the tickling assault, her infectious laugh filling Drake with pure happiness. They’d chosen the name Erica out of respect to Han
nah’s dad. They’d had to leave him behind. Hannah needed something to remember him by, to honour him. The decision was unanimous.
They sat down at their dinner table. It was a beautiful mahogany piece that Hannah had restored three years ago. She had finished it weeks before Erica was born. The table overlooked a stunning garden that was south-facing, so it always felt the warmth of the sun. Shrubbery trimmed to the millimetre, creating a perfect uniform line, a veranda that they coated every year, hence it always shone, and a vegetable patch near the bottom surrounded by rainbow-coloured flowers. Not forgetting the array of children’s toys scattered across the lawn.
Drake picked up a pancake. “So, Erica, chocolate or jam?”
“Chocolate!” She could not have said it any louder. Drake and Hannah laughed.
“Chocolate it is.” He spread on a thin layer of hazelnut chocolate, then sprinkled the pancake with chunks of strawberry and banana. “There you go, darling.”
Erica bounced around in her seat. Nothing was better than Daddy’s chocolate pancakes. It took only seconds for ninety per cent of its contents to be over her face and lap.
Hannah finished a mouthful, wiped her mouth and asked, “Is Fergus still popping around today?”
“Yes, he is. I spoke to him last night. He said he’s got a surprise for Erica.”
Erica’s ears perked up. “Uncle Ferg has a surprise for me?” She grinned from ear to ear.
“He does indeed, but you have to be a good girl today.”
“I will, I will, I will.” Erica reached out for more bananas, in her excitement knocking over her cup of water. Her face instantly flushed with guilt. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright, darling. It’s only water.”
***
The day was jam-packed full of games, tea parties and hide-and-seek. Absolutely anything Erica wanted, because that’s the reason we have children, after all. To not play with them and nurture them for every second you could was a sin. Erica had just finished bandaging Drake’s leg up when the doorbell’s high-pitched ring resounded.
Erica dropped everything and ran to the door.
“Uncle Fergy.”
Drake followed, avoiding stepping on plastic stethoscopes and thermometers. He approached the front door as Erica was jumping, trying to reach the handle. Drake reached out for it and pulled the door open. A welcome gust of warm air rushed through.
“Uncle Fergy.” Erica beamed, skipping on the spot with her arms held high, willing Fergus to pick her up.
“Hey, Ferg, come on in.” Drake stepped aside.
Fergus heaved Erica up. “Blimey, you’re getting heavy, aye.” He grunted at the efforts he feigned of the struggle of holding Erica up. “Afternoon, Drake.” He stepped through the doorway. “Thank you.”
“Can I get you a beer?”
“Aye, you won’t catch me saying no to that.”
“Oh, Erica. I have something for you.” He reached into his satchel. Erica bounced on the spot. Building anticipation, he edged a package out. The packaging crumpled, and Erica’s eyes lit up.
“Chocolate.” She reached out. Fergus handed her the dainty purple package. “Buttons.” Her smile spread across the width of her face. Almost instantly, she was attempting to tear into the package. Her smile soon turned to a frown with frustration. After a high-pitched whine, she held the packet out to Drake.
“What do you say, Erica?” Drake grabbed hold of the bag and waited.
“Please open it.”
He smiled, tore open the packet and handed it back to her.
“Thank you.” She ran away, carrying the packet as if it were a fragile ornament.
“Ferg, so lovely to see you.” Hannah had crept into the room so quietly, no one knew she was there until she spoke.
Fergus spun around and went in for a hug. “Hey, Hannah, keeping well?”
“Always.” She released him with a smile. “Why don’t you boys go outside? I’ll bring some snacks.”
“Thank you, honey.” Drake threw an arm out, pointing toward the garden. “After you, bud.”
***
“Do you guys ever think about it?” Fergus took a deep swig from his beer.
“Every day. I miss my dad, but we saved the world.” Hannah sighed. “I wouldn’t change that.”
Drake took a firm and supportive hold of her hand.
“I still can’t get my head around it.” Fergus paused, lost in thought. “Would you have killed me that day?”
Drake was mid swig when the question caught him off guard. He had to let some beer from his mouth back into the bottle. “Jesus, Ferg. Honestly? Yeah, if you were going to continue your work.”
Fergus’s eyes widened. “Something about you guys just felt real, like somehow I already knew.” He took another swig. “Would you have gone back, even attempted to find the same reality?”
Drake leant back in his chair. “I tried to begin with.”
“Oh really? I didn’t know.”
“For some reason, my—” he threw his arm up and nodded towards it “—powers don’t work anymore. Maybe they have been disconnected somehow.” Drake shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter,” Hannah butted in, a slight clap from her hands connecting with the table. “We wouldn’t have Erica or you, Ferg.”
Fergus’s smile could not have been wider. As sharp as it came, it went again. “I’m not the same, though, am I? I mean, I’m not your Fergus.”
Drake placed a hand on his shoulder. “You may not be the Ferg we once knew, but you’re our Ferg now.”
“Oh, property, am I?” It was most likely the beer’s fault, but at that comment, they all burst into laughter.
Hannah wiped her eyes with her sleeve and stood up. “Right, Erica.”
Erica, who had been playing with her Duplo blocks on the grass next to them, got up and ran over to Hannah.
“Yes, Mummy.” She wrapped her arms around Hannah’s waist as Hannah ran a hand through her mousy brown hair, the perfect mix of Drake and Hannah.
“Time for bed. Let’s go get your teeth brushed.”
Erica huffed, as you’d expect a child to do. “Okay.” The second syllable was drawn out to show her displeasure of having to go to bed.
“Say goodnight to Daddy and Uncle Ferg, then come to the bathroom.” Hannah gave her stern-mum face.
Erica hopped over to Fergus and wrapped her arms around him. “Night night, Uncle Fergy.”
“Good night, darling, I’ll see you soon.” After a tight squeeze, he kissed her on the forehead and let go.
Erica ran around the table to Drake, who was waiting. He heaved her up to his lap and smothered her with kisses.
Erica giggled away from the smooch attack. “Night, Daddy, love you.”
“I love you.” Drake gave her a big kiss and placed her back on the floor. “Go on, off you go to Mummy.” Drake watched as Erica went back indoors, a beaming smile across his face and flutters of love and belonging in his heart.
Chapter 42 - Devastation
The drinks and laughter went on for another few hours. It began to get chilly outside. Instead of getting coats, they decided to go indoors. The trio sat around the breakfast bar, its black and white marble-effect surface littered with beer cans and a couple of empty bottles of wine. It never happened in the way he expected, but Drake got what he had wished for. He had a beautiful wife, who on their wedding day two years ago had looked like an angel. Even Drake found himself thinking he was punching . Not only that, but they had their gorgeous girl, ultimately fulfilling his dream family. The icing on the cake was being able to have drinks with Fergus. He had spent so long alone with no friend or allies.
Drake had lost himself in thought, taking in everything he was grateful for. Fergus and Hannah were chatting away, laughing, but all the noise sounded like he was underwater. Drowned out by his internal monologue. Drake shook his head, thinking that maybe the alcohol was getting to him. But something was off. He could feel himself drifting away or being pulled f
arther away, sinking into himself until all he could hear was the beating of his heart.
“Drake!” A voice, warbled, distorted, was trying to break through. Who was it? Why did he not recognise it? A wave of electricity coursed through his body; a static tingle washed over him from toes to head like a reversed waterfall. This feeling was familiar and yet not at the same time.
“Drake!” There it was again. He tried to focus. Something about the urgency intrigued him.
“Drake!” Wait, did he know that voice? Some form of recognition, something deep inside was telling him, no, begging him to answer.
A blinding ruby glow erupted in his vision, like a tidal wave crashing into his mind.
“Drake! Please…” Hannah? Drake’s eyes snapped open. His arm glowed neon blue. Hannah was standing in front of him, a tight grip on both of his arms.
“Drake, quick. It’s happening again.” Everything came back to him in a rush of understanding. His head throbbed from the sudden data burst. He glanced at his arm. How was it glowing again? Why?
Hannah yanked him to his feet.
“Come on!” Sheer panic distorted Hannah’s voice, her features wrought with worry. She led him to the hallway, where he saw Fergus carrying Erica down the stairs. He couldn’t understand. His mind was confused like it was fractured or disconnected. Hannah ran to Erica and took her from Fergus.
A fierce mechanical whine resonated from behind Drake. He spun around; his eyes locked wide open as the area where their breakfast bar once sat had been torn apart. In its place, a hazardous, pulsing red crack. Its powerful vacuum was tearing the kitchen apart, cupboards ripped from their hinges, crockery flung itself across the room, all being sucked into the void.
The fracture’s power grew. Skirting boards, tiles, door frames all began to groan and tear from their rightful places. Drake had well and indeed frozen, his body, his mind, everything. He was thrown to the floor as the vacuum sucked his feet out from under him. A loud thud as he landed on his back. His breath left him instantly. Screams from Fergus and Hannah as he slid across the floor, pulled by the malevolent force.
