The Watch – Part 106:

‘Are you saying that I go back in time and save Tom’s parents from whatever caused their death?’ I asked.

‘I am,’ Amy said simply. ‘Why, what’s wrong?’

‘Nothing wrong. I can do that. It’s just, are you aware of the changes that will occur once I’ve saved them?’

‘I am. The future will change. We are standing in a future where they are no longer alive, and once you’ve gone back in time and altered events, this future will no longer exist, wiping out everything that belongs to it… Even you… for if you’ve gone back in time and save his parents, you wouldn’t have had a reason to go back in the first place, resulting in you not going back resulting you having a reason to go back, therefore creating and completing the paradox at the same time,’ Amy explained.

‘That about sums it up, yeah,’ I said. ‘But I wasn’t talking about my being erased from existence, I was talking about you. I have my watch, so I can go backwards and forwards in time to any timeline, so, I can alter events in the past, then jump back to this timeline as it the new timeline would have created a new parallel universe.’

‘Um,’ Amy said not knowing how to follow up on that.

‘Although, there is a simple way of solving this,’ I said.

‘What’s that?’

‘You come with me?’

‘You sure?’ Her eyes widened with surprise.

‘Why are you hesitant? I thought you wanted to take a trip with me through time?’

‘I do, but not like this, that can result in things being erased, and my being wiped out of existence.’

‘You won’t be, because you’ll be with me, and that will secure your existence,’ I explained.

‘So, what you’re saying is,’ Amy said wanting to get this straight in her head, ‘your watch allows you to go back in time and alter any event or events you want without any cause and effect, meaning you can go back and save Tom’s parents, and not disappear, which means I can come with you because my being attached to the watch will secure my future as well, instead of it being wiped out and having no clue of what just happened because it never happened in the timeline that the events will alter,’ she said realising that go very confusing very fast.

‘Yes,’ I said simply. Even I didn’t understand most of that. Also, when did I get over the fact that Tom’s parents are dead? Maybe it’s the disbelief that it actually happened that has allowed me to continue on normally as my brain is still acting as if nothing happened. The longer that continues, the harder it will be to cope once the realisation kicks in. I have the most powerful device in the Universe on my wrist, so of course I’m going to use it to save my friend.

‘OK,’ I said. ‘Let’s do it. And you’re defiantly OK with coming with me?’ I needed her to be 100% percent sure.

‘Yes,’ Amy said without hesitation, nodding with certainty. She proceeded to scratch hear head whilst saying, ‘this is starting to get very complicated.’

‘I know. Let’s just get this over and done with. I can’t bear to have to see Tom in that state again. He’ll never be the same again, and that is a person I do not want to lose.’

‘Are you alright?’ Amy asked calmly as the thought of Tom’s parents being dead finally hit me. This is going to be one powerful experience. But I’m going to be changing the past for the benefit of my friend, and that’s the correct way to use ultimate power, nothing less.

‘I’ll be fine,’ I said slowly as I wanted my brain to accept what I’m about to do. I need to be focused for anything out of place can lead to catastrophic ramifications.

‘You’ve gone all white in the face. I don’t think you’re going to be able to focus properly. This has hit you harder that you want to admit.’

‘I think you’re right,’ I said feeling queasy. Everyone deals with grief in their own way, and this is mine: A slow release over a quick period of time, making the effects that much more stronger.

‘I’ll be better once all of this is over,’ I said. I was about to input the necessary commands into the watch when I realised something.

‘What is it?’ Amy asked. The situation we’re in prevented us from seeing the obvious.

‘I don’t know what to input,’ I said.

‘How do you mean?’

‘Well, usually, when I want to travel in time, I have to put the date and time into the watch before travelling, but I don’t know when we’re going to go back to, and I don’t particularly want to ask Tom those sort of questions because he’s already been through enough and the last thing I want him to do is to remember the event all over again.’

‘I understand,’ Amy said sympathetically. I really tried to come up with a solution, but my brain just wouldn’t think properly. I haven’t felt the effects as strongly as Tom has, but I’ve most defiantly felt some.

‘How about this,’ Amy said after a minute of thinking, ‘do you know where Tom’s parents work?’

‘Vaguely,’ I said. ‘I mean, they did work in the same place as my mum and dad did for a brief period of time, but they don’t now. Tom has said they get moved all around the place from time to time that it is hard to track where they’ll be from one moment to the next,’ I explained.

‘Then we go to where you have a strong incline of where they work and go from there. We may be able to find pieces of information that will help us locate them, then stop whatever is going to happen.’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ I said satisfied with that. My brain was really struggling to comprehend that two people who were massive influences in my life are no longer going to be around. The fact that I can go back and prevent that from happen made it easier to process, but hardly enough to think clearly. Maybe once I’m focused on the task I can calm down a bit.

I imputed the necessary commands into my watch. ‘OK,’ I said to Amy, ‘grab my arm and I’ll press this button and then we’ll be travelling back in time. I will say that there may be some slight side effects due to travelling through the Space-Tome Vortex, but nothing that you won’t be able to get over. Amy grabbed my arm lightly, preparing herself for what’s about to happen. My finger was hovering over the button, getting ready to press the button. I looked at Tom, sleeping on the sofa. In a matter of minutes, maybe even seconds, he won’t even know anything about this. Nothing would have changed for him. He’ll be his happy-self again, and that’s what he would have wanted to happen.

I know Tom, and if I asked him the question, ‘if you could go back in time and prevent your parents’ death, would you?’ and he would immediately say yes. Who wouldn’t?

‘See you on the other side,’ I said to Tom before pressing the button down.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)