The Last Time Machine. Forum The Entrance Hall, Ballroom.

There is a knocking from outside.

I see calamity all around. Narnie's taken upstairs, hundreds of people have filled the hall but....but what? Why has my mind been swimming? Where is my wife and why can't I recall her from before....before what? Damn it, where has my past gone to? I....(flinching) Someone just said my name! For an instant, an eye-blink, I remember everything: who I am, why I'm here, my wife, my wife...Ebby! Oh no! What is happening! I must...

...and then it's gone. The cloud returns, covering my memory. Adrenaline surges through my body. Panic. Survival. I must remember!

I turn in the direction and see, among a crowd of dancers, Chloe kneeling on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. She's the one who spoke it! I race over, feverishly pushing people aside as if they were nothing more than balloons floating about.

"What are you speaking?" I ask her, grasping her shoulders. "You said my name just then...it's not Hawkins, though; it's something else. Please, say it again so I can remember! Someone made me forget! Why? You know things aren't right here, don't you?" I pause for a moment, realizing I'm yelling. I take a few breaths and continue with a calmer inflection. "Look, my wife's in danger. We are in danger...from what, I don't know. If I can only remember who the hell I am, I know I can help--at least more so than fumbling around in the dark." Taking every ounce of willpower, I halt my begging and look expectantly at Chloe.

There's a knock at the door.

Stands up and shakes her head at Hawkins.

"It's all wrong...something's gone wrong...Narnie...Ebby...you...the Hipster. I keep thinking we've been drugged, but..." She does a lot of head shaking...Sees herself and this man at his wedding..."I was there...My husband and I were there at your wedding...I know you..."

(turns toward the knock on the door)

There is a knocking from without. Louder with each knock.

Someone reaches to turn the handle.

The door slams open pinning them against the wall. Their last breath unnoticed by all.

A hulking figure looms in the doorway. In one hand a corpse dangles. That of a silly boy wrapped in tinfoil.

I look at the giant form holding the rag doll of a body. My eyes go wide with shock.

I rapidly speak to Chloe, "That garbled run of words you were mumbling a second ago, can you remember it? Somewhere in it, you spoke my name, my true name. I couldn't quite grasp it but, when you said it, I breifly recalled...my past. Since the airport, everything's felt all soupy but, when you spoke that word, my name, everything cleared up."

I peer back at the hulking figure. It's moving past the doorway and into the room.
I turn back to Chloe. "I think I may have to stop that thing over there from causing any more damage but I can't do it feeling so...unnatural. Please help me remember!"

I burst through the doors.
The band is silent, hundreds of people are standing, staring at the open front door. The shadow is here, with prey. I drop to my knees, glad for the crowd cover.
I see no one who I can recognise. Do I shout his name? Is sneakiness the key? Dashwood needs us, I decide to crawl throught the legs.
I wisper his name...."Hawklion"

He will feel me calling, I am sure. I don't even know what his shoes are like any more.

"Hawklion, where are you?"

Her whisper and then a blinding light across my mind's eye. I stagger and then--clarity. Hawklion: the name bestowed upon me by my darling wife oh so long ago. Before that, they named me Hierocosphinx; their guardian. But they left me there. Alone. I remember when she found me. I remember falling in love. "Of course, I'm not going to call you that, my love, not even in secret!" She chided back then. I allowed her to rename me. With my name, I gave her my soul--I am hers. In return, she took me away from the doldrums of a boring existance. We loved and travelled and lived! And then....what? Somewhere, somehow I forgot who I was but... Damn. Seems like there are still plenty of pieces missing.

I look to her there on the floor, a few feet away. Love fills me.

(CRASH)

The monster is knocking people about, killing them, and its destructive path is coming this way--towards Chloe and my love. They can not be harmed!

I stand up and, keeping my eyes on the giant, I shout to Ebby, "Take Chloe and move somewhere safe. I'll keep this thing occupied long enough for you or someone to do whatever magic you have!"

With purpose for the first time, I charge the beast. He sees me coming and, tossing his latest victim aside, steps forward to meet me. We clash together; my speed is enough that the force of impact sends the monster falling backward. Knowing a fair fight is out of the question, I pounce, pummeling it with fists and knees, elbows and head. Even though I'm a blur of motion against this giant, it still land two severe blows: the first to my face. Stars briefly blind me and he is able to connect with another strike to my chest, throwing me off it.

Jesus, that hurt! I have a second to catch my breath as the creature stands up. Wiping blood from my mouth, I glare at the monster. Both our eyes burn with a dangerous rage. This is going to be a tough match indeed.

The beast smiles a smile unseen by all except this piddling human.
It senses true sport at last and unfurls its claws.

I tear my eyes away, following his wishes. I stand and reach for chloe's wrist.
"Come on, come with me, we must find matresses, I need your help."

*concentrating my thoughts, I send him a mindwave, like we used to - "My love, I am taking her to the upper corridor. Keep safe, I beg you, and join us there when you can.'

Then, focus-shifting "Don't kill him, do as you must, but don't kill him."

I swerve through onlookers, heading to the door through which I came, pulling Chloe behind me.

Chloe follows numbly.
"Hawklion....I knew the name..." she tells Ebby as they rush through the crowd. "It'll take more than mattresses. And TEMP has Narnie upstairs." I point where I can see through the floor. "We have to save Hawklion and Narnie both." She stops Ebby.
"We have to save them both!" Has she screamed it or remembered screaming it in another time? It echoes around them.

They climb the stairs, Ebby still pulling Chloe behind her. She can remember doing this before. Stronger than Deja Vu, a true memory with images of the beast that's come through the door and is now fighting Hawklion. She knows, there was something as she pictures Narnie and the broken mirror in the bar that triggers a memory of what will come next.

"We have to stop Narnie...the mirrors..." Ebby looks back at her. She's intensely set on saving Hawklion first. Then that's what we should do, she agrees. Anything to stop the beast.

"A piece of the mirror through it's heart..." Chloe offers, but there's no broken mirror here. That hasn't happened yet...

"Hawkings" The voice rumbles. "I am going to break you like a vinyl album..."

Slashes at the man with his claws...drawing blood along one cheek.

(By now most of the people have barracaded themselves into the ballroom)

Corpses litter the room.

Upstairs there is a loud boom. Then smaller ones all over. The mirrors around you implode.

Anyone who looks will see paintings of the last scenes in the rooms instead.

Blood flows freely from my claw-slashed face and I duck as a second swipe of the monster's arm whips over my head. I land several rabbit punches before his maddeningly swings cause me to backpedal to the center of the ballroom.

Why the hell is this thing besting me? I should be quicker and stronger than I am! Something isn't right. I think back to still-cloudy memories, back when I served to protect previous...employers. I recall taking ten assassins at once: avoiding their swords as if they were swinging them through tar and plowing through their shields as if they weren't even there. My will, aided by the stones, coarsed through my veins and...The stones! They're not in me anymore! I remember! She had me separate from them, to allow me to....something...but I kept them close--they need to be. I stored them in jars somewhere no one would....the marmalade! Damn it. How in the world am I going to best this creature? Suddenly, in my head, I hear her voice. She's telling me to clear the center of the floor. A plan! Live or die, I have to knock this thing back and hold it there.

I fill myself with all the confidence of my previous self and charge the beast. This time, it is the one who feels nails cutting across its flesh. Punching, kicking, and biting, I force the monster back against the far wall. I don't bother deflecting its blows and all land solidly, each one like a sledgehammer. It tries to push me back but I give it no ground. At the next swing of its arms, I close in, wrap it in a bear hug, and allow my weaght to pull it to the ground. With its arms pinned, the giant can only struggle and lash out with its teeth. We are at a stalemate--but only for as long as my arms can keep it held. On the floor, it rolls on top of me, it's crushing weight making me gasp. Slowly, it's arms start to bow mine back, my grip is weakening. It's mouth, inches from my face, blasts me with a putrid stench. God help me, my strength is not enough.

The jowells of hell flap open... spittle runs down its lips, chin and then on to the man's face... sharp teeth appear from nowhere.

The beast sits back. Squats over the weak human and aims a punch.

There is a click from the top of the stairs. Fingers click.

The fist stops milimetres from the mans nose.

Chloe is behind the walls of the staircase with Ebby as the rooms vibrate and mirrors explode. She runs into the ballroom and sees herself in a picture as she stood only moments before. As she reaches out to touch the painting lights shoot from her fingertips and she is absorbed into the painting. Chloe has just enough time to yell out,

"Ebby, help!!!" but even as she says it she's absorbed into a black pit and sees Narnie, a thing of crystalline light floating in the distance.

The world freezes.

I stride down the stairs and look the beast in the eye. Fear runs through my veins.

For a second i pause then smile.

"I have you now. What ever you are."

I snap a talon from his hand. "Very useful."

Next i tap LP on the shoulder, "come on vinyl, get up and dont touch the beastie for all our sakes. Go find your wife and be merry..."

I lean closer to his ears. "Catch the damn chandelier and dont break it."

The mattresses slide down the stairs, hitting one fat man who is still frozen and knocking him over.

I walk down very slowly, smoking and looking carefully. Hawklion is standing, looking a little shocked, staring at an empty space right beside him. I begin to understand why he is not more injured and make a mental note to thank dashwood.

I stand there, half way down the stairs, and wait for him to notice me.

He does not move, he does not look at me, he is frozen in a limbo of a two way reflection.

I drag the mattresses from the bottom of the stairs. They are heavy, and I struggle to do it alone. I place one on top of the other beneath the chandelier.

****Eyes closed--concentrate Dashwood. It is in place. Do it.*****


I run backwards away from the Mattresses and stand beside my Hawklion. I take his still hand and kiss each fingertip as I await a message from Dashwood.

The chandelier falls down onto the mattresses. It sounds like crystal leaves rustling in the breeze.

There is a bang upstairs. Eventually Dashwood runs down the stairs. He is carrying a pen knife and a talon...

"Get him to the chandelier... He cant go until i click my fingers again."

He looks over his shoulder.

"Hurry, i cannot hold the beasts back for long."

I'm going with him, you did know that, surely?

I gently Lead Hawklion to the chandelier, which still tinkles with silence.

I help him over the glass and into the centre of light and colour. Into everything.
I run back to Dashwood
"Take care my friend. Come and find me. Promise me....."(I kiss him on the cheek and hand him my petal watch- I run back to the chandelier and climb inside, wrapping my arms around Hawklion.

"Okay........"