The time keepers law

         Chapter 1

     “Why should I even care about something that won’t even affect me?” I thought in my mind. History class; Fifth period. Most boring subject ever. Why spend time learning about things that happened centuries ago when you could be contemplating whether the reality around you actually exists? I continued to space out and ignore my history teacher... until he called my name out. 

   “Alex.  Alex… Alex!” Mr. Isaac’s voice was loud enough to snap me out of my stupor of total disinterest.  “Hmm…” I said in response, “Did you need something?” I tried to sound as innocent as possible.  Mr. Isaac, in turn, pretended not to notice that I obviously didn’t care and proceeded to asked his question. “Now that Mr. Carter has decided to come back down to Earth, why are the events of human history important?”

“They’re not,” I said calmly. “Excuse me?” Mr. Isaac’s voice was laced with an edge, dripping with a warning that said if you don’t stop now I’ll send you down to the office. Unafraid, I continued. “The events of human history don’t matter… Primarily because it’s the errors of the human race that brought us wherever we are today and it will continue to be the human race that gets where we are in the future. “Moreover, who are you to judge which events significant enough to be in history books?”  

          “How does the curriculum decide what is worthy of being taught in a classroom and what subjects and theories are obsolete? I asked. At that point I rose from my desk. “How do we know that the reality around us is what it seems? ...A prime example would be the concept of time! What if the concept of time is a fabrication? Better yet,” I said, gaining more courage the more I stood behind the desk, “I bet most of the human race would do anything for the power to manipulate time itself!” 

        At that point, Mr. Isaac was looking at me with a strange expression, something between awe and confusion. His dark eyebrows knitted together on his olive skin. His eyes darkened to forest green. Mr. Isaac was used to me saying things that are out of the ordinary, but that was the first time I questioned the aspect of time.

“Mr. Carter,” Mr. Isaac said, “What is the definition of time?” “Time, by definition, is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.” I said. “Mr. Carter,” Mr Isaac said softly, “you may sit down.” Staring at me, he returned to the front of the room and continued teaching.

  The rest of the day seemed to fly smoothly until I heard, “Hey Alex! Wait up!” Silently I groaned and turned around. “Hey, Ben...” Ben Tucker the freshman; not fat per say, stocky wavy brown hair that was unkempt and stuck up in odd places, brown eyes that had a short innocence sparkling in them... I didn’t actually have a problem with him, but he was just so persistent that it was annoying. “How was your day? Did you learn anything cool? I didn’t. Algebra dragged!” Ben’s voice was loaded with excitement. “No,” I said, “...Although I did start an interesting conversation in history.”

“About what?” he asked, seeming genuinely curious judging from the look on his face. “Ben, have you ever wondered about what it would be like to control time?”Almost as soon as I asked, his expression changed. Ben said something I didn’t expect him to say... and his expression darkened. “Why do you ask?”  Not expecting that response, I tried to think what else to say. Before I could answer, however, Ben just said “Time isn’t something that should be meddled with.” Ben turned to leave, casting a look over his shoulder as he walked away.

           At home, I did my homework, ate dinner, and took a shower. I analyzed my reflection after I got out. I had dark chestnut hair that went down a little bit above my shoulders and blue grey eyes that reminded people of a storm. I had a light dusting of freckles across the bridge of my nose. I had been told I had dimples when I smiled. The incident with Ben still hung heavy in my mind. Why had he reacted that way? The question seemed simple enough… After all, it’s not like the power to control time actually exists.

       I simply slept it off. When I returned to history the next day Mr. Isaac said, “Breanna, would you care to explain the space time continuum to the class?” “Breanna! who’s Breanna!?” I thought. As far I knew, we did not have a girl named Breanna in my class. A girl about two rows across from me stood up. I couldn’t help admiring her… She had a waterfall of copper curls cascading down her back, skin as pale as snow, and dark green eyes that were more magnificent than emeralds themselves!

       

      It was then, and only then, that in that moment I caught a look at her wrist.  The birthmark threw me off guard, it resembled a Roman numeral number one. “No. It couldn’t be,” I thought. Nobody has a birthmark that resembles a number. As if she felt my eyes on her, she turned to look at me.

  

         Those dark green eyes bore into me intently, as if she was studying me. Without warning, she started to speak, The space time continuum is a mathematical equation that joins space and time together,” she said, “This way it becomes easier for scientists to understand galaxies,  atoms, etc.” “Very good,” Mr. Isaac said, in the same chilling tone he used with me yesterday! “You may sit down.” After class, “Breanna” stopped me in the hallway by the lockers.

          “Alex, right ?” she asked, “Yeah…” I replied back, “How... How did you know my name?” “Ben’s my younger brother and he told me I had to warn you.” Than she asked, “Can I talk to you outside?” I walked with her outside to the parking lot. “Ben said I should warn you.” I formulated my response as a question. “Warn me? About what?” “People out there know what you are! Stop getting curious now before you get hurt!” As soon as she said this I felt a chill. Not from the Washington fall air, but from something... else. Breanna continued, “If you don’t know what you are, you’ll find soon enough.”  “What do you mean, ‘What I am?!?’” “I can’t explain. You have to find out for yourself,” she said, “In case they try to find you, this watch will help.” Breanna handed me a gold, beaten looking stopwatch. I opened my mouth to try and ask more questions but before I could I watched as she opened the door to her 2008 Honda Civic, got in the driver's seat and drove off. 

       

No “What the hell!?” I thought. Was she insane? I didn’t even know Ben had a sister until today.  I stood there thinking about my options. Either I believed her and still had no clue what to do, or didn’t and still had some psycho after me. What was I supposed to do with a stopwatch? How could a watch possibly help me!? Why was I in danger!?!My head was still swimming when I saw Ben in the parking lot. I walked up to him.

     “What’s with you, man?!” I asked, with an angry tone creeping into my voice, “Why am I in danger!? Who’s after me!?” “Alex, there’s no time to explain! The mark will appear! Soon they’ll find you!” “Who will find me.?” I persisted. “The Timekeepers!”  Ben hissed, “Your powers will start to show soon!” “Timekeepers?” I asked, “Who are the Timekeepers?” 

     “I knew from the beginning! The minute you asked me about controlling time... I was sure!” “Sure of what?!” I felt like screaming at him. “Alex!” Ben said, “Did you even hear my sister’s warning?!” “You’re asking for a death wish.” “Death by what? No! Forget it! I’m not getting anywhere.” 

    By now I was beyond frustrated. A girl who I thought was attractive earlier comes up to me with some crazy warning and her brother is even more of a lunatic! What’s worse is I still didn’t have any answers as to what I was being told! “Ben!” I yelled,  “Why!? Are the Timekeepers bad people?!”

        “Dude, if I tell you that my sister will kill me!” Ben said matter of factly. “Yeah, well up until today I didn’t know she even existed so spill!” “Alex I can't, I promised Breanna.” Ben whined, “Just FYI she has been in your class forever, Ok you don’t what’s it like to live with her if you break a promise.” “Ben I say , finally losing patience I need to know.”

          “.    Alex no I won’t tell you it’s for your own good.” You and your sister are both crazy .”I said . “I’m sorry Alex you’ll thank us for it later .” Ben said, My bus pulled up with a low rumble , opened the doors, I climbed on and found myself staring out the window as the bus pulled away.  20 minutes later I arrived home, unlocked the front door with my house key and found a note on the fridge. The note read , something came up at the last minute at the  hospital I'll be back late tonight. I’ll call you if it’s urgent. Almost immediately I felt a churning feeling in the pit of my stomach as I read my aunt Rose’s handwriting.

          My parents have both been hospitalized for the past six months, when they arrived nobody knew what happened, I remember seeing all the blood hoping they would make it through surgery. Both my parents collapsed into comas upon being wheeled out of the operating room, if they don’t wake up within the next six months the doctors have to take them off life support.  To this day the mystery is unclear of what could have caused my parents fate. Trying not to think about it, I decided to observe the stopwatch Breanna gave to me earlier.

As observed the details of the watch up close I discovered it had tiny swirl patterns with a floral pattern. I turned the watch over and discovered it had a date. 4/26/2000 my birthday, I turned the watch over and over in my hand looking at the date, what did it mean? How would Breanna know my birthday? No she couldn’t possibly know. Did the watch belong to someone else, if so then then who? Or maybe it has nothing to do with my birthday at all? Was there something else significant about the date?

It’s just a pocket watch, that’s all just a stupid pocket watch. I reminded myself. There was something strangely familiar about it that I hated to admit, even so it had me curious. Too curious.